More Men Are Aggressively Pursuing Alimony in Divorce

 Posted on July 28, 2017 in Divorce

Alimony - which is called spousal maintenance in Illinois - used to be a common factor in a divorce, and it was usually awarded to wives. Often caretakers and homemakers, women in the past often lacked the skills, experience, or resources to support themselves immediately after divorce. Times have changed, however. Today, more and more wives are becoming the primary breadwinners of their families, and more husbands are staying home. Because of this, many women are now finding themselves on the paying side when it comes to the subject of alimony in a divorce. Unfortunately, this kind of “role reversal” in a divorce can have serious implications.

Women Remain Disadvantaged in Divorce

Despite there being more women in the workforce than ever before, and more women being the primary breadwinners for their families, there remains an income disparity within the workplace. In fact, the Pew Research Center has found that, while the gender income gap is closing, it does still exist. Overall, women make about 80 percent of the income of their male counterparts in the same positions, and it takes, on average, an extra 44 days of work for them to make up for that disparity.

How does this relate to divorce? Because, even when the wife has the higher income in a marriage, the husband is still far more likely to recover financially after a divorce than the wife. His potential for earning a higher pay, once trained and/or educated, is also better than hers, thanks to this gender pay gap. So, whenever possible, women should fight to ensure their financial security is protected in a divorce.

Fighting a Request for Alimony

Often, women assume they must pay alimony, simply because it is requested by the husband. However, this is not always the case. Women can and, in most cases, should contest such a request for alimony. At the very least, they should attempt to negotiate to settle on an amount that reduces the propensity for financial distress for after the divorce. A few options for contesting alimony can include:

• No significant income disparity exists between the spouses;
• The husband did not give up a career or education;
• The husband did not directly or indirectly aid in the advancement of the wife’s career;
• The husband is employable and able to support himself;
• The couple does not share children; or
• The husband chose to stay home for reasons unrelated to family or career.

Contact Our Hillside, IL Divorce Lawyer

If you are a woman whose husband is requesting alimony, contact the Law Office of Vincent C. Machroli, P.C. for skilled legal assistance. Knowledgeable and experienced, our Hillside, IL divorce lawyer can aggressively protect your financial future. In every situation, we pursue the most favorable settlement possible for our clients. Schedule your personalized, no charge consultation by calling 708-449-7400 today.

Sources:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/03/gender-pay-gap-facts/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefflanders/2013/05/17/what-divorcing-women-need-to-know-about-alimony-reform/#876f3b71260c

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/role-reversal-wives-angry-paying-alimony/story?id=8662940