Spousal support is always a hot topic because many individuals end up staying home to support their spouses or are lower-earning spouses during a marriage and need support to move on independently. In many of these situations, it’s women who end up needing support. This may be due to giving up a career to raise children or because of simply earning less than their male counterparts.
There are many things divorcing women need to consider when they’re thinking about seeking alimony. Presently, alimony is being reformed. While that’s not all bad, it does definitely have an impact on how much people will receive and how much can fairly be paid out.
In reality, the changes being made are likely to hurt those who would have benefited from receiving alimony. Certain alimony reforms are working to take away a judge’s discretion in these cases, making them much more “cut and dry” based on new alimony guidelines. Other changes, like the tax reform, make it costlier for individuals to pay out alimony thanks to no longer being able to write off the expense.
Alimony is designed to be temporary, and it isn’t meant to support a person forever. However, it is supposed to be there to provide the lower-earning spouse with support as they return to school or the workforce. If you deserve it, it’s within your rights to fight for it during a divorce. There is no reason that a change in the laws should have to impact what you deserve to receive as a person who supported your spouse in the past.
