Does the wife automatically get alimony from the husband?
A. No. Spousal maintenance, also known as alimony or spousal support, is a financial award ordered by the court to be paid from one spouse to the other, either in a lump sum or in periodic payments over time. Maintenance can therefore be ordered to be paid by either the husband or the wife. The goal of maintenance is to help the spouse who has not been the primary wage earner become self-supporting. Maintenance is therefore usually only temporarily granted for a period of years and is not necessarily ordered in every instance. Also, in the event the ex-spouse receiving support remarries, an award may be terminated early.
