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More women are paying alimony to their former spouse

A recent report reveals that women in Minnesota and across the nation have seen an increase in divorce court judgments for spousal maintenance. The report was released by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, which consists of 1600 members who handle divorce, alimony, child custody and other family law issues across the nation.

The Academy reported that 47 percent of divorce lawyers in the United States have noticed that more women were asked to pay alimony as part of their divorce settlement. In addition, 56 percent of the lawyers also saw an increase in women required to pay child support.

According to the incoming leader of the Academy, the rise in alimony judgments against females is largely due to the increased number of women in professional fields. The rise in female lawyers and doctors, for example, resulted in an increased number of women who are the primary income earners in their families. Alimony is most often awarded to the spouse who earns less money. Therefore, more men involved in a divorce are requesting alimony because their spouse has a higher income than them.

In Minnesota, divorce courts consider a variety of factors to determine whether a spouse is entitled to alimony. Some of the considerations include the needs of the spouse requesting payments, the ability of the other spouse to pay, the length of the marriage, the standard of living during the marriage and the economic sacrifices made by the spouse seeking spousal support.

Divorce involves a series of complex legal proceedings, which include many difficult and important decisions. Alimony can end up being one of the more contested aspects of a divorce, particularly when there is a dispute about how much alimony should be disbursed monthly. With some cooperation and the help of knowledgeable legal professionals, divorcing Minnesota couples can agree on a fair level of spousal support that accurately reflects the couple's financial picture, no matter who has a higher annual income.

Source: The Huffington Post, "Alimony: Women Increasingly Paying Alimony to Their Ex Husbands," May 10, 2012

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