Alimony, also called maintenance in some states, is money paid by one spouse to the other after a divorce for the purpose of support. Husbands as well as wives are sometimes responsible for alimony. If you mention the word "alimony" it often sets off strong emotional responses. In the past, before so many women worked outside the home, the husband was the one who paid, and he paid more if he was at fault in the divorce. Sometimes, if the wife was at fault, she was not granted alimony. At the present time, a very small percentage of divorces or separations even involve the payment of alimony; of those that do, an even smaller number receive alimony for more than a brief period of time. Fault is no longer a factor in granting or limiting alimony in more than half of the states. Ask your mediator about the alimony situation in your state. Permanent alimony is a term generally reserved for an elderly, unskilled spouse who's been married for many years, or the spouse of a wealthy person who would be totally unable to maintain the standard of living the wealthy spouse had been providing. If you successfully negotiate for any alimony, it will probably be for a specific period of time so that you can develop a way to earn a satisfactory living or qualify for a promotion. The other option is to get temporary alimony, which is intended to compensate you for time spent in the past helping your spouse with his or her business or career, or in some circumstances, for time you will spend without full-time employment until your child reaches a certain age. You will need to negotiate about whether you will receive any payments, and if so, how much and for how long. You will want to be sure there is enough money available, in accordance with the child support guidelines, for child support and child-related expenses before alimony is negotiated. Then the income and expenses of both you and your spouse must be considered to determine if alimony is appropriate. Take a realistic look at your personal financial situation, have a complete physical examination, and try to make the best possible assessment of your present and future needs, especially with regard to when and under what circumstances you become self-sufficient. These considerations will help you negotiate for an appropriate amount of alimony. I personally didnt ask to for it, but it was offered by the judge at which point, I waived it. As long as you are perfecty capable of supporting yourself, I think its unnecessary to request it. However, if you're married to a millionaire, I say go for it!!