Alimony (also referred to as spousal support) is typically a periodic payment by one spouse for the support of the other. Either spouse may be entitled to receive or obligated to pay spousal support, depending upon the facts and specific financial circumstances of the family.
Alimony is typically awarded only when a former spouse is unable to meet his or her needs without financial assistance from the spouse who can afford to pay it, or when the difference in standards of living after divorce is grossly unfair. In recent years, it has become more common for couples to have dual-income households, and therefore, less common for the courts to award alimony.
Although courts in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia have factors that they weigh when awarding alimony, having experienced legal counsel guide you through this process is invaluable.