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 South Carolina, alimony or spousal support refers to payments made from one spouse to another following a divorce. The state recognizes several types of alimony, including periodic alimony, lump-sum alimony, rehabilitative alimony, and reimbursement alimony, which are determined based on factors such as the duration of the marriage, the standard of living during the marriage, and the financial resources of each party. South Carolina law allows for the modification of alimony if there is a showing of a substantial change in circumstances. This change must be significant and not anticipated at the time of the original alimony award. Examples of such changes could include a significant increase or decrease in either party's income, changes in health, or changes in marital status. The process to modify alimony typically involves filing a motion in the family court that issued the original order, and the court will assess whether the change in circumstances justifies an alteration of the support amount.