Some form of regular payments is often an outcome for people who are involved in the divorce process. Two of the most common terms associated with a form of payment from one spouse to another is alimony or spousal support. When someone chooses to hire a divorce lawyer, Dover residents might ask their legal professional what is the difference between these two forms of payments? In all actuality, even though these are two different terms, they are referring to the same thing, and should be viewed as one and the same when talking to a legal professional or hearing the terms being said in court.

Are Alimony and Spousal Support the Same Thing?

Whether a judge or other legal professional uses alimony or spousal report, they are referring to the same kid of financial assistance. When two spouses make drastically different amounts of income, it can leave one of them to struggle when they are going through the divorce process. With the help of a good divorce lawyer, Dover residents can get financial assistance depending on a multitude of factors until they are financially stable and independent of their spouse. This time period is dependent on the court’s decision when overseeing the details of the divorce.

Why is Spousal Support Becoming More Common?

Today, it is way more common for someone to see instances of legal professionals using spousal support over alimony because alimony is a very old word from the seventeenth century that is often not applicable in modern scenarios. Alimony has been defined as a husband’s or wife’s provision for a spouse after separation or divorce, but today, legal professionals are moving more towards gender neutral terms and definitions. As defined by a divorce lawyer, Dover residents should know that spousal support is defined as payment for support of an ex-spouse (or a spouse while a divorce is pending) ordered by the court.

*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Butash Law Group*