How Temporary Alimony Makes Divorce Possible for Many

 Posted on February 13, 2025 in Spousal Support

If your spouse is the primary breadwinner or tightly controls the marital finances, the prospect of filing for divorce might seem daunting. You might worry about how you will start supporting yourself if your spouse cuts you off from his income upon finding out you are divorcing him. Family law courts in Illinois can order one spouse to keep financially supporting the other while the divorce is in progress. This is called temporary spousal support. Without temporary spousal support, divorce simply would not be possible for many stay-at-home parents, disabled people, or older adults to initiate. Temporary alimony can help you maintain financial security while you are establishing separate residences and preparing to return to the workforce. If you need continued financial support from your spouse while you are working towards a final divorce decree, you should let your Rolling Meadows, IL, divorce lawyer know promptly. You will need to make your request for temporary alimony in your initial divorce filing.

Who is Eligible For Temporary Spousal Support in Illinois?

To receive temporary spousal support while your divorce is in progress, you will need to demonstrate that you genuinely need it. This normally means showing that you are not able to support yourself independently right now. To get continued spousal support after your divorce finalizes, you would need to show that you will likely remain unable to support yourself for some time. For temporary alimony, you likely only need to show that you are not presently employed or are not earning enough to meet your reasonable needs. If you are financially dependent on your spouse right now, that may be enough to convince a court that you need your spouse to keep supporting you while you are getting divorced.

How Temporary Spousal Support Protects Stay-at-Home Parents 

Temporary spousal support can mean the difference between a stay-at-home parent who remains trapped in an unhappy - or abusive - marriage and one who gets divorced. This type of spousal support was initially largely intended to help homemakers and stay-at-home parents who do not have assets or savings of their own exit their marriages without risking a period of poverty. Without these protections, homemakers, people with disabilities, and stay-at-home parents would be very vulnerable to financial control.

With temporary spousal support, a parent can be assured that she will be able to afford suitable housing for herself and her children while she waits for a final divorce decree.

Contact a Rolling Meadows, IL Divorce Attorney

Ann O’Connell Law, Ltd. provides personalized, hands-on representation to people who are going through a divorce. Our dedicated Cook County, IL spousal support lawyers will fight to get you the temporary support you need to remain financially secure during your divorce proceedings. Contact us at 847-859-6222 for a complimentary consultation.