Alimony, maintenance or spousal support is an obligation established by law in many countries that's based on the premise that both spouses have an absolute obligation to support each other during the marriage (or civil union) unless they're legally separated. In some instances, the obligation to support may continue after separation. Historically, alimony arose as a result of the indissoluble nature of marriage. Because divorce was rare, husband and wife remained married after their physical… (More on Alimony)