As much as I hate this schmuck, the proposed law isn’t bad on the surface. I’d be furious if I had to work past retirement to keep supporting an ex wife whom I divorced decades prior. Like I get the intent of alimony, but to me it seems quite a bit outdated when most working households have both adults having their own careers. And if a couple divorces, why should the breadwinner have to pay to maintain the other’s lifestyle instead of a stipend until the other gets on their feet. I’d be raging if I was busting my ass to keep making money, and her insta feed is nothing but her going shopping and having spa days on my dime.
Like I get the intent of alimony, but to me it seems quite a bit outdated when most working households have both adults having their own careers.
I don’t think you do. If both people have the same level of income, there’s no alimony. Alimony is meant to allow someone who has been a house spouse for years (decades) to think about divorce, so they are not trapped by finances.
How easy do you think it is to get a job after working part time (or not working) for 20 years? Older with no recent experience is not going to get you any jobs.
Alimony shouldn’t exist.
But we should also have social safety nets in place such that alimony isn’t necessary.
The idea of alimony, though, has morphed over the years from allowing someone to, as you say, consider divorce without being trapped by finances, to replacing a stay-at-home spouse’s potential income had they not been the stay-at-home spouse. That change makes me pretty uncomfortable, especially the government stepping in requiring an ex spouse to pay what the other person might have made.
In Germany there is this net. But you still have to pay alimony.
