Reasons to Pay Alimony

Although alimony often carries with it a negative connotation, there are several reasons why you should want to pay it.

Unlike child support alimony is tax deductible on your yearly returns; it is also added in the taxable portion of the person receiving it. This can be good news if you and your spouse have drastically different incomes, leading a judge to award alimony when he normally wouldn't.

In the case of John and Melanie they realized that alimony made the most sense for their situation. Since she was earning just $23,000 as a schoolteacher and he made $175,000 per year, John realized that he could afford to pay her even more since it would be tax deductible. He could even compensate her for the extra tax that she would have to pay as a result and still come out ahead.

A family law attorney can help you decide whether alimony is right for your personal situation and, if so, how much to ask/pay.