We thought it was time to explore alimony, a hotly debated topic in divorce, which was sparked off by yesterday’s Wall Street Journal’s article on the trend of men accepting alimony from their wealthier ex-wives.

This first article kicks off our four-part series, called Alimony: A thorny part of divorce.

Jessica Simpson’s ex Nick Lachey attempted to get spousal support and Kirstie Alley had to pay her former husband, ex-Hardy Boy Parker Stevenson, $18,000 per month so that he could cover his rent in Bel-Air. Celebrities and heiresses aside, this trend is affecting the regular working woman who has a successful professional career in finance, IT, or law.

The article brings up several interesting points:

Do men deserve alimony, especially when they are working, especially when there are no children in the background?

Should women just take it and suck it up because this is what gender equality brings? Yes, women can earn more money now but that means paying spousal maintenance if you earn more than him.

Are gender stereotypes really being erased in this time and age?

Mosie over to this older article in Forbes magazine that points out women get a lot angrier when they have to pay alimony. One interviewee puts it frankly, “Men are supposed to be breadwinners, not bread takers.”

Some even argue, like celebrity psychologist Dr. Helen, that long-term alimony (barring extreme situations like disabilities, retirement, and life-long homemakers) should be abolished when both men and women can easily support themselves. Do we really want to be held responsible for our exes, even after divorce — shouldn’t breaking up free us of the very person we don’t want to be with?

While alimony still hangs around as a very real part of divorce, let’s us delve more into the inner workings of this concept.

Look out for Part 2 in our Alimony: A thorny part of divorce series.

Related posts:
Part 2: Factors that determine alimony
Part 3: Types of alimony

Related posts:

1. Alimony: A thorny part of divorce – Part 3: Types of alimony
2. Alimony: A thorny part of divorce Part 2 – Factors that determine alimony
3. Alimony: A thorny part of divorce – Part 4: Alimony and Taxes: How to play it right

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