Alimony, also known as spousal support or maintenance, is an agreement between a divorcing couple that involves one party providing financial support to the other. This financial support may come in the form of a lump sum payment, monthly payments, or a combination of both; the amount and type of support are determined based on factors such as length of marriage, income, education level, and each partner’s job prospects. Alimony is designed to help financially disadvantaged spouses maintain their standard of living after a divorce without having to rely entirely on government assistance.