When a Man Can be Granted Alimony

Alimony in general is thought of as financial support to women leaving a divorce. In the days before women held jobs and supported themselves, they were viewed as helpless creatures that had to be cared for by their ex-husbands so the taxpayers would not have to support them when they applied for welfare.

Today, laws have been rewritten to include men in divorce alimony awards. Courts look at factors that have nothing to do with gender in determining divorce alimony awards.

Why Don't More Men Get Alimony?

The answer to this is simple: men generally make more money than women. Women are also more likely to be awarded physical custody of children, increasing their household expenses.

Women are also more likely to have given up their careers or schooling to care for small children, meaning that their skills are worth less in the marketplace and they are in more difficult financial straits after a divorce than men.

Factors Involved in Getting Alimony

The courts look at multiple factors in determining alimony awards. Societal norms generally favor women on these points but men could present arguments supporting alimony awards as well:

• Age, health and financial condition of the parties

• Lost opportunities of each spouse as a result of the other spouse's education, caring for children and other activities done to help the family home

• Standard of living established during the marriage & the parties' abilities to maintain that standard of living

• The parties' education, earning capacity & employment prospects

Note that none of these factors rule out men getting alimony based on gender. If a man was married to a woman with a successful career, gave up personal opportunities to care for children or help the spouse's career, or has fewer prospects than the woman, it is possible for a man to get an award of alimony.

Today, more women are supporting themselves and it is less unusual to see men caring for children or foregoing career opportunities to help their spouse. As the effects of the current economy continue, more men will likely get divorce alimony in the coming decades.

Getting Legal Help

A man seeking alimony from his spouse should not go into court without at least the advice and guidance of a licensed Family Law attorney in his state, ideally one who has helped other men win alimony awards. State laws vary and attorneys have more knowledge of the legal system.