Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance (traditionally known as alimony) is money paid by one spouse to the other to assist the recipient in meeting his or her expenses. Traditionally, spousal maintenance is most common in marriages of longer duration where there is a significant difference in incomes. Maintenance can be used to allow a spouse to obtain education so that he or she can earn a higher salary. Maintenance can also be used to compensate a spouse who has made economic sacrifices to benefit the marriage. The most common example occurs where one spouse ceases working in order to care for young children while the other spouse is able to continue to pursue his or her career.