Women Who Pay Spousal Support in Virginia

Spousal support is often a key issue in divorce, and with many women out-earning their husbands, instances of women who pay spousal support in Virginia are on the rise.

It is a myth to assume that spousal support in Virginia is automatically paid to the wife by her ex-husband. This is no longer the case. Increasingly, women are the higher wage earners in marriage and this can mean that their husbands will request spousal support from them.

In addition to income, there are many other factors taken into consideration when spousal support is awarded, such as:  

• age;
• length of marriage;
• children; and
• potential to earn income.  

-nuptial agreements are a good way to tackle the spousal support question before it becomes an issue in divorce, but obviously not every couple enters into a pre-nuptial agreement before marriage. Also, financial situations can change greatly during the course of a marriage. A woman may enter marriage assuming that she will play a more traditional role of homemaker and mom but find herself a successful career woman instead.

Although the instances of men who receive spousal support in Virginia from their ex-wives have increased, it is still fairly uncommon. This is most likely because men may feel uncomfortable requesting support. Instead, men may opt for a payout of one lump sum or an alternate payment, such as property.

Spousal support in Virginia used to be called alimony and was designed to help women financially after a divorce when they did not have a career or income of their own. As times change and more and more women not only have careers, but actually earn more than their husbands, spousal support in Virginia is becoming less common and the duration for which it is awarded is shortening.

Contacting a Virginia Beach Divorce Attorney

There are very specific rules governing divorce in Virginia. At Hofheimer/Ferrebee we are committed to providing you with the experience and compassion you deserve and the successful results you need to move on with your life. Request a FREE copy of our guide, What Every Virginia Woman Should Know About Divorce, or reserve your seat at our monthly divorce seminar - 757-425-5200.