Alimony, also known as spousal support or maintenance, is a court-ordered payment made by one spouse to the other following a divorce or legal separation. The purpose of alimony is to provide financial support to the spouse who may have a lower income or who stayed home to care for the children during the marriage. The payment is made in order to help the receiving spouse maintain their standard of living and to help them become financially independent. The amount and duration of alimony payments are determined by a variety of factors, including the length of the marriage, the earning potential of each spouse, the age and health of each spouse, and the standard of living established during the marriage.
