Do Men Don’t Ask For Alimony In Divorces? They Should

Alimony is a completely separate consideration from child support. Alimony or spousal support payments are paid by one spouse to another to help them maintain their standard of living for a set period of time after a divorce. While men have traditionally been the breadwinners in relationships, the tide has turned. Now, women can routinely earn more than their male spouses. However, male spouses seldom seek alimony, but should in certain situations. In this article, we’ll discuss how men should approach alimony in a divorce.

What sacrifices have you made for your marriage? 

Today, it is still likely that one or the other spouse will be a primary breadwinner while the other spouse will pick up the slack in other ways. It is, however, still true that the majority of families have two working spouses to support the children. In some cases, when the wife is established in her career before her husband, the husband may have opportunities in other states that he has to forgo because his wife, their relationships, and even children are established in their current home. When you make a sacrifice like this for the marriage, it is something that can be compensated for in the divorce, especially if your earning power has been greatly reduced by the choice to stay where you are.

What will happen to your standard of living post-divorce? 

The court will avoid the standard of living of one spouse from going so low that they can no longer partake in their family duties. Men who are stay-at-home dads or take part-time jobs while their wives support their families would be eligible for alimony if their standard of living would suffer so much that they could not afford a place to live, food, or basic living expenses, or, having paid those, have no money left over. In those cases, it would hurt the entire family for the spouse to become destitute.

Primary caregiving roles 

Fathers are now more likely to be primary caregivers than ever before. Fathers who maintain this role post-divorce are entitled to both child support and alimony. An ex-wife who expects her former husband to continue in that role will need to provide support.

Getting an education 

It is typical for a spouse to take on jobs while a primary breadwinner receives an education. If a husband makes sacrifices so his wife can get an education, then the wife should do the same for the husband. Short-term alimony can provide financial support to those who forestall career opportunities to help their spouse move forward with their career.

Call a Philadelphia Divorce Attorney Today 

If you are considering divorce or have had papers served to you, call the Philadelphia divorce attorneys at the Law Offices of Lauren H. Kane today at 215-918-9453 to schedule an appointment and begin protecting your interests post-divorce.