Editing Alimony (section)

{{Short description|Legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse due to marital separation}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Family law}}
'''Alimony''', also called '''[[aliment]]''' (Scotland), '''maintenance''' (England, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, New Zealand), '''spousal support''' (U.S., Canada) and '''spouse maintenance''' (Australia),<ref>{{cite web |title=Spousal Maintenance |url=http://www.familycourt.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/fcoaweb/family-law-matters/property-and-finance/maintenance/ |website=Family Court of Australia |access-date=26 June 2018 |date=19 April 2018}}</ref> is a [[legal obligation]] on a person to provide [[financial support]] to their [[spouse]] before or after [[marital separation]] or [[divorce]]. The obligation arises from the [[Divorce law by country|divorce law]] or [[family law]] of each country. In most jurisdictions, it is distinct from [[child support]], where, after divorce, one parent is required to contribute to the support of their children by paying money to the child's other parent or guardian.