Alimony, spousal support, and maintenance are all words for the same thing: one spouse paying support to the other after a divorce. It's designed to help a lower-earning spouse--or a spouse who's been out of the workforce entirely while raising children or taking care of the household--to get through the divorce process and transition into being self-supporting.
Over the last decade, alimony has become less popular with courts. The nationwide trend is to award support in fewer and fewer cases, and to keep the duration pretty short. In cases where the spouses are both employed and there isn't a large disparity in their incomes, it's unlikely any supportw would be awarded at all. The exception to the new rule is when the marriage lasted longer than ten years, in which case alimony is nearly automatic unless the spouses' earning capacities are the same.
Some states, like Texas, have laws limiting alimony payments to a certain period of time. In other places, alimony ends automatically when the spouse receiving it remarries or begins living with a partner. And in many cases, the termination date for alimony is included in the marital settlement agreement or judgment when the divorce proceedings are finalized.
Alimony Laws by State:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
D.C.
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
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How Remarriage Can Affect Alimony
An overview of how remarriage or cohabitation will affect ongoing alimony obligations.
When is alimony (also known as spousal support) awarded? How much will it be?
The Seven Rules of Alimony and Taxes
Learn what the IRS requires in order to deduct alimony payments.
What to do if you're not getting your alimony payments.
How to Reduce Alimony Payments
What a judge will look at in considering a request to reduce alimony payments.
What are the different types of spousal support, and how long do they last?
Is Alimony Always Tax Deductible to the Paying Spouse?
Learn the ins and outs of alimony and taxes, whether you're receiving or paying support.
Alimony can be granted even if a couple were never married? That's "palimony".
Separate Maintenance and Legal Separation
Learn about separate maintenance, a type of alimony for separated couples.
Learn about bankruptcy and its affect on alimony.
Alimony: How Courts Set the Support Amount
Spousal support isn't like child support, with state guidelines for deciding the amount. Instead, judges consider a number of factors.
Negotiating Alimony With Your Spouse
You can avoid court if you negotiate alimony with your spouse. The court will approve your agreement if you make one.
Changing the Amount of Spousal Support
When an alimony (spousal support) order is already in place, can it be changed? It depends.
California Spousal Support & The Mythical Ten Year Rule
Spousal support that never ends if the marriage was ten years or longer? Not exactly.
It's common for divorcing spouses to disagree on alimony, which is why the court has a process for deciding if it's proper, and if it is, how much is necessary.
Michigan Alimony (Spousal Support) FAQs
Learn the basics about alimony in a Michigan divorce.
Ohio Spousal Support and Alimony: Questions & Answers
Here are the answers to some common questions about divorce in Ohio.
Virginia Spousal Support (Alimony) FAQs
Answers to common questions about Alimony in Virginia.
Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce, by Emily Doskow
Everything you need to know about divorce, including a chapter on alimony.
Divorce Without Court: A Guide to Mediation and Collaborative Divorce, by Katherine E. Stoner
Learn how to negotiate your divorce without going to court--including spousal support issues.
Divorce After 50: Your Guide to the Unique Legal and Financial Challenges
If you're over 50 and getting divorced, learn about the special issues.