WATCH: How Spousal Support (Alimony) Works

No two divorcing couples have identical circumstances, but one potential source of income (or expense) for many divorcing people will be spousal support – sometimes known as alimony or maintenance. The standard is to give support to the spouse who needs it in order to keep the family on an equal setting – however, there is an underlying duty for each spouse to work towards being independent of each other. Diana Shepherd (CDFA™) is the Editorial Director and Co-Founder of Divorce Magazine. An award-winning editor and published author, she is a nationally-recognized expert on divorce, remarriage, finance, and stepfamily issues.