Spousal support provided after a divorce or, sometimes, legal separation.
Alimony is part of most divorce settlements. Depending on where you live, it may also be granted during a legal separation. Alimony is sometimes referred to as spousal support. It is not the same as child support. Child support is intended to support a couple’s children, while alimony is designed to support a spouse.
Alimony is typically paid by the spouse with the higher income, usually to compensate for the diminished finances of the other spouse. It can also be rewarded as compensation for a spouse's contribution to the home or the other spouse's career advancement.
The laws governing the amount of alimony vary across jurisdictions. Alimony can be ordered by the court or agreed to in writing by both parties in the divorce. Most jurisdictions factor in the needs of the spouse and the ability of the other spouse to pay support when determining the amount of alimony. If the receiving spouse remarries, his or her alimony payments usually come to an end.