Helping Men get Alimony After Divorce
When we think of alimony, we often think of housewives getting spousal support from their higher earning former spouses. But the fact of the matter is, 40 percent of the breadwinners in homes across America are women. Even so, only three percent of men receive spousal support following a divorce. Perhaps it’s time to address this imbalance.
Why Men don’t Receive Support
In courtrooms across the country nearly 500,000 people are awarded spousal support. Many family attorneys speculate as to why so few of the recipients are men:
- Oftentimes men are looking for a clean break with no ties back to the former marriage;
- Sometimes men worry that asking for alimony will make negotiating custody and visitation more difficult;
- Women often put up more of a fight to keep their earnings than men do in that situation;
- Men may feel that getting support from a former spouse makes them appear weak and emasculated;
- Gender equity issues still exist in the minds of judges, attorneys, and litigants.
An Enlightened Age
While many have been delirious about shifting gender roles in today’s world, men oftentimes find the mere idea of relying on an allowance from a woman to be humiliating. Why fight for something that is so embarrassing? The feelings are compounded when women make it clear that only a loser would consider taking their hard-earned cash. But back up! The truth is, many men chose to be stay-at-home dads so their wives could pursue careers. While dad was running the kids to flute lessons and hockey practice, mom was stuck late in a board meeting. It worked just great for the marriage, so why do we allow room in our conversations for the old stereotypes when the topic of alimony arises? In many, many situations, men deserve, and need, spousal support. Regardless of gender, when one considers that each partner brought value to a marriage, the lesser earning spouse may be entitled to some degree of support following a split.
Considerations
A number of factors are considered when alimony is on the table. The amount and length of time it is to paid are based on such issues as:
- A need for support and the other partner’s ability to provide support;
- Marketable skills, training and education level;
- Sacrifices made in order to promote a spouse’s career or education;
- Length of the marriage;
- Who gets custody of the children, and whether that will impact one’s ability to work;
- Infidelity, abuse, or other at-fault issues;
- Standard of living issues.
Is Spousal Support Necessary for You?
If you believe you need and deserve alimony post-divorce, regardless of your gender, it is certainly something you should discuss with your legal team. At Courtney & Mills, our Springfield alimony attorneys are prepared to fight for the best possible outcomes for you. Contact us for a confidential consultation today.
Resource:
reuters.com/article/us-divorce-alimony-men/more-men-get-alimony-from-their-ex-wives-idUSBRE9BN0AW20131224
