Practice in the United States regarding alimony changed considerably over the course of the 20th century.
Before the 1970s, it was common (or at least assumed to be common) for a divorced man to pay persistent (long-term) alimony, on the theory that it was a right and necessity, based on the assumption that women were to be economically dependent upon a man, and that a woman's earning power was significantly less than a man's. Alimony generally lasted until the spouse remarried or died.
In the 1960s and the 1970s, alimony gradually came to be seen more as a temporary bridge to economic independence for a divorced or separated wife. It might, for instance, pay for training or education.
Current U.S. alimony practice usually looks at a spouse's ability to earn an income and the other spouse's ability to pay alimony, when considering who pays and who receives alimony and for how long. This may include considerations such as who is a full-time stay-at-home parent (though child support is a separate issue from alimony).
State laws in the U.S. and the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act make it rare that permanent alimony is ordered.
The term alimony dates from the 17th century and is derived from a Latin word for "sustenance" or support.
