Whenever two parents divorce, their financial lives are greatly altered — whether they are the breadwinner or a stay-at-home parent. Years ago, alimony payments ordered in a divorce were typically awarded to a wife as she was usually either a stay-at-home mom or made much less than her husband. However, in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, there is a noticeable rise in the number of men seeking alimony.
One man shared his story as to why he sought alimony. He made less than his wife, who was a surgeon. He decided to put his career on the back burner in order to be there for his children while his wife pursued her lucrative career. He sought alimony and now receives $5,000 a month from his ex. He also says he encountered little backlash from others in his life, including his ex-wife.
One statistic cites that of all of the people seeking alimony payments, only 3 percent were men. However, as more and more women step into the role of the family breadwinner, most analysts say they expect that number to rise. In fact, a recent poll of legal professionals found that nearly half of them saw an increase in women who were ordered to pay alimony to men.
Alimony simply knows no gender. A judge will consider each party’s income, future needs and employability in deciding who may have to pay and what they may have to pay during a divorce settlement. Health, age and other factors are also taken into consideration. Pennsylvania couples may find it beneficial to know that any alimony settlement can be subject to modification if finances or life changes warrant another look at how much or how long someone is ordered to pay.
Source: Reuters.com, More men get alimony from their ex-wives, Geoff Williams, Dec. 24, 2013
