When it comes to alimony reform, many people assume that men are the only ones putting up a fight to make changes. This is not true as many women have joined the movement such as one second wife from Florida. The woman is married to a 72-year-old retired physician. Her husband as suffered from Alzheimer's disease for approximately 14 years.

The elderly man relies on his second wife to care for his every need from personal hygiene such as bathing and shaving to feeding him. "What's sad is that this man who can't get out of bed is paying a woman who is working," said the second wife. She was referring to the permanent alimony payments amounting to $25,200 annually that he pays to his first wife he divorced in 1997. The first wife is an able-bodied college professor.

The movement for alimony reform has been sweeping the nation. A bill is currently being considered in legislative committees in Florida. The bill is similar to one that was enacted in Massachusetts this past fall. The new Massachusetts law opened up options for alimony terms that would vary in duration and coincide with the length of a marriage. It would also be based more closely on the finances of each spouse. The new law also makes it easier to modify the alimony payments and provide an option to terminate payments upon retirement age.

According to data collected by the Labor Department, the percentage of woman in the workforce has grown steadily in the past couple decades. Advocates have said that old laws were necessary when women were more often than not homemakers and had trouble finding adequate employment in the workforce.

"There need to be limits to the duration of alimony and caps on the amount you pay," said one reformist. "You could be married at 25, divorced at 35 and spend the next 50 years paying alimony. There should be consistent treatment across the board where you can predict what's going to happen based on law, not a judge's arbitrary decision."

Whether reform occurs or not, there is one way to protect your interests when it comes to paying alimony or getting the payments you need. That is through an experienced family law attorney who understands the law and the system and can advocate for what you need.

Source: USA Today, "Should alimony laws be changed?" Yamiche Alcindor, Jan. 18, 2012