Alimony is a regular payment one spouse makes to the other for support during and/or after a divorce. The spouses may agree to alimony, or the court may order it if the spouses can’t agree. Alimony orders may be temporary or permanent.
In South Carolina, the court has the discretion to make any alimony order that is appropriate, considering the couple’s circumstances. South Carolina law provides for five different types of alimony:
When deciding whether to order alimony and in determining the type, amount, and manner of payments, as well as how long the order will be in place, South Carolina courts will consider:
How long an alimony order lasts depends on the type of alimony a court awards.
In general, the spouse paying support can deduct the payments from income. For the spouse receiving support, the payments count as income and are taxable.