According to a recent article in Forbes, judges all over the country are beginning to shy away from alimony orders during divorce proceedings.

Permanent alimony awards especially are becoming a thing of the past, the article said, as more judges are deciding to limit the length of spousal support and taking a more strategic approach with the amount of support they are awarding.

Even some women who spent years at home taking care of their children are being told to get a job instead of being promised a lifetime of spousal support payments, which would have been the norm several years ago.

Part of the reason for the trend, the article said, is that more women are working outside of the home today. Data from the Labor Department shows that about 75 percent of women work outside of the home and women are the main breadwinners in about 40 percent of American households.

Of course, there are still many situations that almost always warrant at least temporary spousal support. For example, if there is a major earning disparity between a couple that had a long marriage, at least temporary spousal support is likely.

For that reason, it doesn’t appear that the concept of alimony will be disappearing any time soon.

As spousal support laws vary from state to state and norms often vary from judge to judge, it’s important to talk to an attorney in your area if you are wondering how alimony or spousal support could apply in your case.

Source: Forbes, “Stay-at-Home Mom Facing Divorce? Don’t Expect Alimony,” Emma Johnson, Oct. 27, 2014