Fifty years ago, most people in the state of Texas wouldn’t have thought twice about including alimony support payments in a divorce agreement. But times have changed-as some experts point out-and roles in society are looked at differently now than they were in the past. Women are finding a foothold in the career market, making names for themselves in fields relatively inaccessible fifty years ago. And with divorce a common-day thing, filing for separation no longer taints your image, preventing you from remarrying and regaining full financial stability.
So in lies the question: should states reconsider laws that require one spouse to pay alimony to another spouse after a divorce? Although Texas residents do not have to worry about permanent alimony payments, some states are looking at spousal support payments as an unnecessary evil.
Alimony reform advocates are looking to change current laws to take into account the length of marriage before the amount for alimony is calculated. This can especially be important in military divorces where assets such as pension and military benefits can be heavily debated over in proceedings.
As some reform advocates point out, lawmakers should look at alimony like they do with unemployment. Once a person has proven that they have a job and are financially stable, unemployment payments stop. Such is the request for alimony payments. Although Texas lawmakers may not consider this as an option at this moment, advocates are making a push for such considerations in the decades to come-perhaps even leading to change for future generations.
Source: Yahoo! News, “End Permanent Alimony Forever Say Opponents,” Lauren Lyster, April 23, 2013