What is Alimony?
Court-ordered financial support paid by one spouse to the other during or after divorce, also known as spousal support or maintenance.
Understanding Alimony
Alimony recognizes that one spouse may have sacrificed career opportunities during marriage. Factors include marriage length, standard of living, earning capacity, and contributions to the marriage. It may be temporary, rehabilitative, or permanent.
Examples
- 1Temporary alimony during divorce proceedings
- 2Rehabilitative alimony while spouse completes education
- 3Permanent alimony after 25-year marriage
Related Terms
Divorce
The legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body, ending the marital relationship and dividing assets, debts, and responsibilities.
Child Custody
The legal arrangement determining where children will live and who will make important decisions about their upbringing after parents separate or divorce.
Child Support
Ongoing payments made by a non-custodial parent to help cover the costs of raising their child, typically continuing until the child reaches adulthood.
Parenting Plan
A written agreement between parents that outlines how they will share time with their children, make decisions, and handle disputes after separation or divorce.
Marital Property
Assets and debts acquired during the marriage that are subject to division in a divorce, as opposed to separate property owned before marriage or received as gifts/inheritance.
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