Alimony means the support of a wife by her divorced husband and stems from the common law duty of the husband to support his wife. However, modern state laws generally do not provide for alimony to be paid to either the wife or husband following divorce. Instead, there are two mechanisms that can provide for the support of a dependent spouse. One is temporary spousal maintenance, which is paid by one spouse to the other to provide for his or her living costs. The other is the property settlement. Once the divorce is final, the assets of the marriage will be divided so as to provide each spouse with a means of living, if such assets exist. Courts possess a great deal of discretion in determining temporary maintenance and an equitable distribution of property in a divorce case, so it is best to have a qualified attorney represent your case. For more information on alimony entitlement, consult a qualified attorney.