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What is alimony?

Alimony is a legal financial arrangement between separated or divorced couples, whereby one partner provides regular payments to the other. Alimony is only available to couples that have been legally married. Unmarried couples have palimony for relief. Traditionally, married couples consisted of a working partner and a domestic partner. The working partner provided financially for the couple, while the domestic partner contributed in other ways, most notably by physically and emotionally supporting the working partner, keeping the home up, and in many cases, caring for children. When a marriage dissolved, the domestic partner was awarded alimony as a means to honour the promise of "lifelong" financial support in recognition of contributions made to the relationship.