We have written frequently on our St. Louis fathers’ rights divorce blog about how dads often end up on the short end of the stick when it comes to fair treatment in a divorce. While not all divorce cases are created equal, there is some evidence that the tide may be turning when it comes to more equitable application of spousal support.
It’s difficult to get firm numbers in regard to the increase in spousal support that’s being paid to men; however, in a survey last year of American divorce attorneys, nearly half said they had noticed an uptick in females who are paying alimony.
As the practice becomes more common, the stigma that some men might feel in regard to asking their ex-wives for support is going away. For example, one 50-year-old man who has three children successfully sought alimony payments from his ex-wife. By no means is the man destitute; in fact, he is a partner in a medical device company.
However, his former wife earns considerably more in her job as an orthopedic surgeon. The man says that not only did his family and friends not object to the arrangement, but his physician ex-wife didn’t either. She recognized that she had been the primary breadwinner for the family, and alimony wasn’t a big issue in their divorce.
In other cases, however, alimony may play a central role. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced divorce attorney on your side in family law matters, particularly when large sums of money could be on the line.
Source: Reuters, “More men get alimony from their ex-wives,” Geoff Williams, Dec. 24, 2013
