What High-Earning Female Celebrities Can Teach Us About Alimony Obligations

 Posted on July 26, 2022 in Divorce

When one spouse makes significantly more money than the other, the higher-earning spouse may be required to pay alimony to the lower-earning spouse in a divorce. In Illinois, alimony or spousal support is referred to as spousal maintenance. A spouse may be required to pay maintenance if the couple agrees to maintenance terms during divorce negotiations or the court orders a spouse to pay maintenance. A prenuptial or postnuptial agreement may also define spousal maintenance terms.

Traditionally, alimony was seen as a man’s responsibility. However, high-earning women are subject to the same spousal support laws as men. Acclaimed singer Mary J. Blige recently opened up about her experience paying alimony to her ex-spouse after divorce. Her story provides insight to celebrities and non-celebrities alike.

Wealthy Wives May Be Forced to Pay Spousal Support to Their Husbands

Hip-hop artist Mary J. Blige has been an internationally renowned singer for decades. Her net worth is in the millions. However, she admits that alimony obligations stretched her finances extremely thin. When Blige divorced her husband in 2017, she was ordered to pay a whopping $30,000 a month to her ex-husband. Originally, her ex requested four times that amount.

Blige is not the only wealthy female celebrity ordered to pay massive to their husbands. Former Spice Girls singer Mel B was required to pay her ex $40,000 a month in temporary spousal support during her divorce. She was also ordered to pay for her ex-husband’s attorney’s fees which totaled approximately $140,000.

What You Need to Know If You Are a Female Breadwinner  

If you are getting divorced and you earn significantly more than your spouse, make sure you understand how spousal support obligations may influence your divorce case. Do not wait until your spouse demands alimony to learn about your rights and options. A proactive approach is always better than a reactive approach when it comes to any divorce issue – especially in high-net-worth divorce cases.

Illinois’s spousal maintenance laws make no distinction between men and women. It is possible that you could be required to pay maintenance to your ex during or after the divorce. Reach out to a lawyer experienced in high-asset divorce cases to learn more.  

Contact a St. Charles Divorce Lawyer

If you are getting divorced and you have a substantially higher income than your spouse, you need to know how this can affect your divorce. Contact the skilled Kane County spousal support attorneys at Goostree Law Group. We can help you negotiate spousal maintenance and protect your rights throughout your divorce. Call 630-584-4800 for a free and confidential consultation.

Sources:

https://people.com/celebrity/mel-b-pay-ex-stephen-belafonte-temporary-spousal-support-despite-abuse-claims/

https://www.yahoo.com/video/couldn-t-pay-rent-mary-143300244.html