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Divorce myths: Men don’t get alimony

On Behalf of | Mar 13, 2020 | family law

When alimony began, it typically required former husbands to pay their ex-wives after a divorce. Many people think that this is the only way it works.

However, as it turns out, that’s just one of the more common divorce myths. The truth is that men or women can get alimony from their exes, regardless of gender. Many courts have gender-neutral policies. They just look at the economics of the situation and make a ruling without bias.

After all, think about why alimony began. Divorce was financially harder on women, who worked less outside the home and earned less even when they did. Men were the main breadwinners. This meant that some women felt trapped in marriages they wanted to leave because they knew the men would be financially stable after divorce, but they wouldn’t.

Alimony changed this by giving them at least temporary stability while adjusting to life after their divorce. It acknowledged that they assumed their husbands would take care of them, financially speaking, and they needed that financial assistance even if the marriage ended.

In 2020, though, women have far more work opportunities than they used to. While there is still a pay gap, it’s not as drastic as it once was. This has led to wives financially supporting their husbands, meaning that those husbands may actually be the ones who need alimony if they get divorced.

Every case is considered individually, taking into account the factors that make it unique. Bias toward or against one gender is not supposed to factor in. Those going through divorce must know their legal rights and what myths to avoid.

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