Do Alimony Laws Need to Be Reformed?

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Now that 40% of working wives outearn their husbands, the act of paying alimony after a Pasadena divorce is no longer something that is solely the responsibility of men. A growing number of women are being asked to pay alimony to their husbands.

Traditionally, the justification for alimony was based on the idea that a family functioned best if there were separate spheres for men and women. Men would work to earn the money the family needed for everyday expenses, while women would devote themselves to caring for the home and children. Alimony was intended to help compensate women for the sacrifices that they had made during the marriage, since a woman's efforts to handle household and parenting tasks allowed a man to work more hours and take on higher level positions with greater earning power. Alimony laws also considered the fact that women were less likely to have the education and work experience needed to easily obtain paying employment after a divorce.

Now that families headed by a sole breadwinner are less common and women are earning college degrees at a higher rate than their male counterparts, many people feel like alimony laws need an update. If both parties in a marriage have careers and the ability to support themselves financially, one could argue that alimony is not necessary or that alimony should only be awarded temporarily instead of being a permanent means of support. This is the basis of The End of Alimony, an article appearing in the May 27 issue of Time.

If you are a high earning woman filing for divorce, it is important to seek a divorce lawyer with a progressive view of alimony laws. Since many high earning women are also quite active with household and child care responsibilities, their legal needs are somewhat different than that of a man with a stay-at-home wife who is seeking alimony.

How Can We Help?

If you are in need of assistance with divorce-related issue, please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com. Our team of skilled Pasadena divorce lawyers is eager to help in any way possible.

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