I have been separated for two years (not legal separation, it was mutual) after 25 years of marriage. For 25 years my husband had job where employer would bribe him with $ as signing bonus. He worked for 25 years, changing one job to another by making more money. I supported him with travelling job while I was taking care of kids and home. Now that kids are in college and out of house, we sold the house and we both have purchased own property to live from the sale of joint property. We have been living separately. For past two years of our separation he did support me for all my expenses. I do have job but he makes 4 times more than me. Even though he asked for divorce, he never filed for divorce even after our two years of separation, and he jut got laid off and now all of a sudden he wants divorce. We have worked out all of our distribution of physical property but not financial. He thinks if we take divorce now he doesn't have to pay any alimonies, even though his unemployment check is much bigger than my regular pay. Does any one reading this forum has any input on this?
Mary: My ex filed for divorce. I got a Lawyer. He paid all the regular bills at to do with our home/living expenses after he moved out. We went into court, alimony was the issue, and the Lawyers talked to the Judge and the Judge sent us home because he was laid off. This was the first court appearance (not to finalize the divorce). Later, when he got another job, I got the alimony (by then the divorce process was further along). Remember, your husband still has to pay rent and other expenses (assuming he is not living with family) with his Unemployment check which would be much less than what he was previously making. My ex was laid off/fired from many jobs. He had me cut back on things like cable t.v. after he moved out, but he continued to pay the regular household bills after the layoff and did not tell the Lawyers he was doing this. Our daughter (then 18) and I, later learned not to depend on him for anything. He has Asperger's Autism. If you need assistance, try the following: the local Food Pantry, the Salvation Army for emergency payment of utility bills/help with budgeting, please get a Lawyer or Legal Aid for low income people or ask at the local Bar Association or local courthouse. In a marriage with money and/or assets, a Lawyer or Mediation is needed, it's time after two years.