For Illinois couples experiencing marital strain, divorce is a welcomed alternative to resolve strenuous differences. However, divorce brings with it a significant number of implications that must be addressed to reach a mutual agreement that is beneficial for both parties. Some of the decisions that need to be made are related to child support and custody, separation of assets, finances and property, and spousal support or alimony.

According to the New York Times, alimony was originally created as a solution to relieve financially dependent women of mandatory monetary obligations immediately following a divorce. However, in today’s society, only 10 percent of divorce cases include some kind of alimony agreement or reward. As traditional familial roles become less prevalent, many more women are working then there were when alimony was created. This means more women are bound to alimony obligations than traditionally expected. Even though only 3 percent of alimony recipients are men, working women who are required to pay are often a lot more frustrated by the obligation.

Despite the backlash and disagreement that many demonstrate in response to alimony payouts, many state laws have yet to be modified. With more pressure on women to maintain jobs, it is expected that alimony settlements will become more of a rarity. Experts suspect that alimony will end up being awarded only in cases where the receiving spouse is disabled or unable to work.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2014 alone, there were approximately 813,862 divorces out of a population of 256,483,624 people.