Why You Deserve Alimony

Unfortunately, divorce can really change a person's life. You may have made plans for your life and nothing is turning out that way. You may need to sell the home where you raised your family, and find something smaller and more reasonable for one income. 

If you stayed home to raise your family, you suddenly are going to need to find a job to help support your family. You won't be able to continue to stay at home while being supported by your husband or wife. 

Because of this, many spouses try to get alimony. This money is used to support them while they start their new life. Sometimes alimony is only good for a few months, while others can get alimony for years. 

So, why do you deserve alimony? Here are some reasons you may be eligible to get some help from your ex-spouse.

If you stayed home to support your spouse's career. There are some spouses who prefer their significant other to stay home in order to make the other one more successful. 

They know that they can focus on their career, while everything else is taken care of at home. Dinner is ready when they get home. Their laundry is always ready for the next day. They know that their spouse will make sure that everything runs perfectly, and all they need to do is work. 

They can call and get errands run when they are needed. Not only that, but they can pull together a dinner party, simply because they have the time. If they need help in the office, they know that they can count on their spouse. 

This may also be true if one spouse worked while the other attends college. Many couples start out in college, while others may go back to get more degrees. If one person worked hard while the other focused on their education, their career wouldn't be where it is today, without the help of their spouse. They deserve some sort of acknowledgment for all of their hard work.

Many couples also work together when they start a business. Since you may not be able to afford employees when you are first getting started, both of you may have to put in the long hours required to have a successful business. Even after the business has grown, you may have continued to work together and watch the business flourish. 

What happens to the business after the divorce? Most divorced couples can't continue to grow a business together when they are fighting. One person may have to quit the business and find another job that they enjoy just as much. Because this can take some time, they may need financial support to do so.

Many mothers give up their careers to stay home and raise their children. The same can be said of dads. There are many fathers who are finding themselves at home with the children while their wives work. 

However, once the divorce is final, they are going to have to go back to work. They may not be at the top of their game, and it may take a few months to find the right employment. They may even have to start at the bottom and work their way back up. This isn't fair for qualified parents who choose to focus on their children for a few years.

So, even though you don't think that you deserve alimony, you might want to talk to your lawyer. You may be eligible to get some financial help as you get back on your feet. This is especially true for those who gave up a great career to support their loved ones, whether in business or through college. They may also have taken a few years off to raise children and may struggle to find another job of the same caliber.

Previously published on Medium.