In Kansas, spousal support is called “maintenance.” The IRS still refers to spousal support as alimony. The mere mention of the word “alimony” might stir your emotions and start your stomach churning. If your spouse has filed for divorce and is seeking maintenance, you might see it as a double injustice—your marriage is ending and you feel like you must pay for it, too. If you are seeking spousal support, you might feel hurt and confused if your spouse is at all resistant to helping support you, even though you may have interrupted your career to stay home and care for your children.
Learning more about Kansas’s laws on maintenance, also referred to as “spousal support,” can help you move from your emotional reaction to the reality of possible outcomes in your case. Uncertainty about the precise amount of maintenance that may be awarded or the number of years it might be paid is not unusual. Work closely with your lawyer. Be open to possibilities and creative solutions. Try looking at it from your spouse’s perspective.
With the help of your lawyer, you will know the best course of action to take toward a maintenance decision you can live with after your divorce is over.