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 Massachusetts, alimony, also known as spousal support, is governed by the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Act of 2011. This law provides for different types of alimony: General Term Alimony, Rehabilitative Alimony, Reimbursement Alimony, and Transitional Alimony. The type and amount of alimony awarded depend on various factors, including the length of the marriage, the age and health of the parties, the income and employment opportunities of each party, and contributions to the marriage, among others. The duration of alimony payments is also influenced by the length of the marriage. Either party can seek to modify the alimony order if there is a 'material change in circumstances.' For example, a significant change in either party's income or employment status, or cohabitation by the receiving party, could be grounds for modification. The process for modification is typically initiated by filing a Complaint for Modification with the court that issued the original alimony order.