More Women Are Paying Alimony & Child Support
[Source: ABC 7 News]
Rise in Women Paying Alimony
Women are increasingly becoming the primary breadwinner in the household. With that comes a different side effect. Here to discuss this is family law attorney, Christopher C. Melcher, of Walzer Melcher Family Law. “We are seeing about 40% of households which have women as the primary breadwinner for that family. It makes sense because if the woman has more income than the man, then she is going to stay at work while the husband or father stays behind and takes care of the child.”
When a woman does make more money, does it cause more problems in the marriage?
“It can. I think there’s some natural resentment. Anytime someone is out there working and other is staying at home. But also because of the gender stereotypes. This has been maybe the last and hardest one to break where we feel the man should be out there working and providing and maybe should not be receiving support from a woman, and that is hard for that couple to reconcile, ” explains Christopher C. Melcher, one of California’s top divorce attorneys.
What happens when that couple breaks up? What problematic things do you see when the man makes less than the woman?
“What will happen is, the woman will continue supporting the man. He has been out of the workforce. He can’t go back quickly and also has childcare responsibilities. They might not have liked the arrangement before when they were married but now after separation, she is going to have to continue supporting him at that same standard of living that they had.”
Are any men embarrassed to ask for the support?
“There are. We are seeing that some men will not receive support from a woman. Others will put that aside and realistically have no choice but to take the support.”
What type of advice do you have for couples who are thinking of getting married, where the woman has the potential to make more?
“Looking at those causes of resentment, understanding the choices they are making and understanding what is best for the child. It’s important to have that open and honest communication about the decisions that they made,” states family lawyer Christopher C. Melcher.
Hence, prenups are always a good idea. You can find out more by going to www.WalzerMelcher.com.
