The outcome of most divorces in today’s society has been drastically different from what they once were. Traditionally women would typically get custody of the kids while the dad would pay the mother child support and alimony payments while rarely seeing the children. But with more women in the workplace and different trends in marriage, many Minnesota residents are considering reforming the current laws on Alimony.
The purpose of alimony or spousal maintenance is to correct any unfair economical effects of one party in the aftermath of a divorce. In the past this usually involved the male breadwinner paying the stay at home mom money until the ex wife either remarried or died. But as society changed, marriages typically had dual income earning spouses with many women being the breadwinners of the relationship. Due to changes in marriage trends, several states of drastically reformed their alimony laws to fit with current society, should Minnesota do the same?
Many Minnesota residents would agree and disagree with this question. For many people who depend on alimony to get by, the current laws are a necessity, but, on the other hand, there are many people who feel that the system is being abused.
Alimony is currently determined by several factors including the duration of the marriage and how big the disparity of income is between each spouse. Depending on each divorce, some spouses may be required to pay the recipient spouse alimony for a short duration while others can last a lifetime. Factors that can end alimony include remarriage, change in financial situations and death.
While no two alimony cases are the same, many cases share similar outcomes. Minnesota residents concerned with spousal maintenance may request the presence of an attorney. Often times an attorney may provide helpful advice and knowledgeable information regarding the outcome of a case.
Source: Huffington Post, “Alimony: Are The Days Of Longterm Alimony Behind Us?,” June 19, 2013