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 Rhode Island, alimony, also known as spousal support, is financial assistance that one spouse may be required to provide to the other following a divorce. The purpose of alimony is to help the recipient spouse maintain a standard of living similar to that enjoyed during the marriage, particularly if there is a significant disparity in earning capacity between the spouses. Rhode Island law allows for the modification of alimony orders if there is a substantial change in circumstances for either the payor or the recipient. Such changes could include a significant increase or decrease in income, loss of employment, or changes in the need for support. The courts in Rhode Island consider various factors when determining alimony, including the length of the marriage, the conduct of the parties during the marriage, the health, age, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, and needs of each of the parties. The modification of alimony is also subject to judicial discretion and must be based on a material change in circumstances that was not foreseeable at the time of the original decree. The relevant statutes can be found in the Rhode Island General Laws, specifically within the domestic relations section.