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Surveys find changes in alimony and child support

On Behalf of | Jun 4, 2018 | Divorce

More and more women in Texas may be required to pay child support and alimony. A survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers found that more than half of lawyers said they had seen an increase in women paying child support in the past three years. In addition, 45 percent of attorneys noticed that more mothers were paying alimony during the same time period.

Pew Research has found that women are the main breadwinners in about 40 percent of families. However, some attorneys report that women are hating the alimony process just as much as men. Furthermore, even though those women are breadwinners, some of them are still in relationships that are verbally, emotionally or physically abusive.

The nature of alimony payments is changing as well. For example, many support orders are no longer permanent. Instead, the purpose of alimony is to support a spouse while he or she trains for a job and becomes self-supporting. In 2019, alimony will no longer be tax-deductible for new divorcees, and it is not yet known what effect this will have on spousal payments overall. Some have advocated the abolishing of alimony. Others say couples should sign prenups that address alimony payments.

Another tradition that’s changing the is one in which the mother is always awarded custody. Today, many fathers have just as much custody time as mothers. A parent who is going through a divorce may want to obtain legal representation. The lawyer could help ensure a fair settlement in terms of alimony and child custody.