During your Maryland divorce, you may realize that your financial situation requires you to seek spousal support. Also known as alimony, this particular divorce requirement has traditionally been used to support women who were kept out of the working world because of family obligations. Now, though, alimony is taking a decidedly different slant, with both genders seeking compensation through existing court mandates. Some advocates argue that the gender-neutral nature of our current society should prompt changes in the way that alimony is administered, however. If you are seeking spousal support, some of these wide-reaching reforms could affect your financial agreement with your ex-spouse.
Whether you are a man or woman seeking alimony, you are almost certain to run into some resistance from your ex. Alimony is often difficult to calculate, and the term of the financial support can also be contested. For some, alimony is even considered offensive, even though a large number of divorcees can use the money to maintain their standard of living.
Social change seems to be on the horizon, however, as alimony reformers note the many cases of abuse that exist within the system. Sometimes, ex-spouses choose to cohabitate with a new beau instead of getting married; as a result, they may be able to continue collecting alimony even while they have a two-income household. Some would also argue that the payer is forced to downsize his or her lifestyle after a divorce, while the alimony recipient gets to maintain a similar standard of living.
In addition, advocates for alimony reform say that the system protects those without the motivation to become self-sufficient. Even though some exes are capable of working, they get too comfortable in their alimony situation, sometimes playing the “victim” to get more money.
Ultimately, court-ordered alimony is designed to help ex-spouses get back on their feet financially after a major life change. Each alimony case is different. People who think their alimony payments are unfair, or who are suffering because of low alimony payments, can seek the advice of professional family law attorneys to help them learn more about their rights.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com, “Is alimony offensive to today’s modern woman or modern man?” Diane L. Danois, Nov. 04, 2013
