Spousal support is the financial assistance and monetary aid provided by one spouse to another after a marriage ends.
Here’s what to know.
Of those couples, 10-15% result in spousal support.
Experts in This Article
Demetria L. Graves is a divorce attorney.
Emily E. Rubenstein is a Divorce and Family Law attorney.
Kelly Chang Rickert is a family law attorney with over 22 years of experience.
Demetria L. Graves is a divorce attorney.
Before 1979 in some states like Alabama, alimony was exclusively paid to women.
How many women are paying alimony?
But its not just celebrities who are paying alimony.
Why is there an increase in women paying alimony?
While men still come out on top in overall wages, more and more women are becoming the breadwinners.
The2018 censusrevealed that among heterosexual married couples, 1 in 4 women were the primary household earners.
Therefore, in the name of divorce, more women are paying up.
But what about household tasks?
Even if they contribute nothing, they are entitled to it.
Demetria L. Graves is a divorce attorney.
Every state has different rules.
(E.g., an eight-year marriage would result in four years of alimony.)
For marriages longer than a decade in California, things are a little different.
Over 10 years, there is no official end date, says divorce attorneyDemetria L. Graves.
Parties can come back and attempt to modify, but theres nothing set in stone.
In some cases, you may be required to pay for the rest of their life.
As each state is different, seek out appropriate legal advice.
Is alimony tax-deductible?
Previously, alimony was tax-deductible for the payer.
However, in 2017, former President Trump changed it to be tax-free for the recipient.
Chang Rickert calls it a nightmare.
What to know about prenups
All three attorneys advise a prenuptial agreement.
Discussing financial roles and responsibilities before getting married may even lower your chances of divorce.
Waive alimony if you dont want to pay it, says Chang Rickert.
Always be self-sufficientand give a shot to marry someone self-sufficient, too.
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