Alimony: I interviewed a woman this week for a divorce. They have two small children. Her husband has been unemployed for 4 months and has begun drinking more (amount) and more (frequently). She works full time to support the 4 of them. They rent their home. She has a bachelor’s degree and does not make a lot of money. But, she has suddenly become the primary breadwinner.
They are fortunate that her parents live nearby and provide free day care for the kids.
This was her first question: Will I have to pay alimony?
As a practical matter, probably not. He also worked for the first 6 years of their 6 and a half year marriage, so he has not (yet) become accustomed to his wife being the primary earner. But, if she were willing to continue this for an extended period of time: Maybe. And – eventually – yes.
The moral of this story: If you think you are going to divorce the ungrateful person sitting on your couch, the longer you wait the worse it may be — for YOU!
What We Love: This is a smart client. She is looking at the signs and being as proactive as possible in a really hard situation.
Related articles
- Lili A. Vasileff: Women Increasingly Pay Alimony (huffingtonpost.com)
- The Tax Implications of Divorce (turbotax.intuit.com)
- Is a wife obligated to support her husband (wiki.answers.com)
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