Alimony, spousal support, spousal maintenance, or domestic partner support (collectively, spousal support) is generally financial support in the form of periodic payments (usually monthly) paid by one spouse or domestic partner to the other spouse or domestic partner upon divorce.

The person paying spousal support or the person receiving spousal support may seek to modify the court’s order for support—usually by increasing it or decreasing it—due to a material change in circumstances of the person paying support or the person receiving support.

Spousal support laws vary from state to state and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the family or domestic code.

In Arizona, spousal maintenance, commonly referred to as alimony, is financial support paid by one spouse to another following a divorce. The purpose of spousal maintenance is to assist the receiving spouse in achieving financial independence when they are unable to do so immediately after the divorce. Arizona law outlines several factors that courts must consider when determining whether to award spousal maintenance, including the duration of the marriage, the standard of living during the marriage, the age and employment history of the spouse seeking maintenance, and the ability of the other spouse to pay. Once spousal maintenance is ordered, either party may request a modification of the amount or duration of the payments if there is a substantial and continuing change in circumstances, such as a significant change in income, employment status, or health. These requests are made through the court system, and the party seeking the modification must demonstrate that the change in circumstances is material and affects their ability to pay or their need for support. The relevant statutes can be found in the Arizona Revised Statutes, specifically in Title 25, which deals with marital and domestic relations.