"Payment of Love"

Who ever knew that love could really be bought? "Alimony a.k.a spousal support is the amount of money your ex-husband has to pay you--or you pay him." Alimony may be awarded in the form of permanent, temporary, lump sum, or rehabilitive alimony. Alimony is very different from child support. Child support is a bunch of mathematical calculations and alimony is in the judge's hands. There are several factors that determine the amount and extent of your alimony payments, including: "the length of your marriage, your financial lifestyle, documented personal expenses, tax consequences, your ability to work, and your conduct."

Aside from these factors, there are also requirements and qualifications. Some requirements are: alimony payments must be paid in cash, can't be made if you and your ex-husband live together, you can't claim a tax deduction when filing a joint tax return, and alimony payments stop when the spouse dies or remarries. The qualifications also vary as well. How much you pay and actually receive depends on the state you live in. The needs of each spouse is taken into consideration as this decision is being made. Other states determine marital fault and go from there. According to a Canadian HR Reporter, "In Ontario, for example, it has recently been estimated that there are 90,000 unpaid support orders,representing $470 million in delinquent payments."

Each individual needs to make sure they fulfill their duties. Their duties are to make sure their children are happy and provided the ideal life, even if they aren't so sure what that life is for themselves. It can all be very simple if everyone just cooperates and follows the "thought out plan." I'm trying myself to make things easy for my parents. Hopefully other kids are trying to do the same.

Images are from flikr.