A few decades ago, a Texas woman paying her ex-husband alimony would have been unheard of. Now, women are no longer the only ones getting the alimony checks. Because many women are now the breadwinners of the household, more and more are asking for – and receiving – spousal support in divorce cases.
In 2010, only 3 percent of those receiving alimony were men. However, a survey of 1,600 lawyers in 2012 found that nearly half had seen an increase in men receiving alimony. With more and more men taking on the role of stay-at-home dad, that number is expected to quickly rise.
However, gender bias is still an issue to contend with. Although the law says that both genders have an equal right to spousal support in a divorce, there are female judges who feel that a man should not be given financial support, since this was traditionally given to women. Even men themselves may feel they are not entitled to anything – even if their ex-wife makes much more money than them – and therefore, may drop their alimony request during the divorce process.
This is because many men are too proud to ask for money from their ex-wives. This is often true even if the man sacrificed his career to stay home and care for children. However, it’s important that they do the math. If they are unemployed or have a low-paying job, then they can’t afford not to take the money. Bottom line: If a person puts effort into a relationship, he or she should be compensated for it through alimony.
If you feel you deserve alimony – no matter if you are male or female – you should consider asking for it during the divorce proceedings. An experienced Texas divorce attorney can help determine if you would qualify for alimony and if so, how much you should be entitled to.
Source:
Financial Post, “More men getting alimony from their ex-wives” Geoff Williams, Jan. 04, 2014
