Since 1996 Divorce Magazine has been the Internet's leading website on divorce and separation. We provide advice about divorce law, divorce lawyers, family law, custody, support and other divorce related issues along with a directory of divorce professionals.

WATCH: How Spousal Support (Alimony) Works

This short video will help you understand how spousal support, also known as alimony or maintenance, is supposed to work.

By Diana Shepherd, CDFA® Updated: July 21, 2018Categories: Alimony and Spousal Support, Alimony and Spousal Support, FAQs, Financial Issues, Videos

No two divorcing couples have identical circumstances, but one potential source of income (or expense) for many divorcing people will be spousal support – sometimes known as alimony or maintenance. The standard is to give support to the spouse who needs it in order to keep the family on an equal setting – however, there is an underlying duty for each spouse to work towards being independent of each other. Diana Shepherd (CDFA™) is the Editorial Director and Co-Founder of Divorce Magazine. An award-winning editor and published author, she is a nationally-recognized expert on divorce, remarriage, finance, and stepfamily issues.

About Diana Shepherd, CDFA®

Diana Shepherd is the Editorial Director and Co-Founder of Divorce Magazine. An award-winning editor, published author, and a nationally-recognized expert on divorce, remarriage, finance, and stepfamily issues, she is a frequent lecturer on the topics of divorce, finance, and marketing – both to local groups and national organizations. She is the co-author of The IDFA Survival Guide, a book designed to help divorcing couples avoid the common pitfalls and make better decisions, and the co-author, editor, and designer of nine textbooks and resource guides for financial professionals. She holds the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) designation from the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts and an Honours English Specialist degree from the University of Toronto.