• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • 215-886-1266

Law Office of Joanne Kleiner

  • Home
  • Attorney Profile
  • We Can Help
  • Family Law & Divorce
    • Collaborative Law
    • Contested Divorce
    • Equitable Distribution of Property
    • High Asset / Net Worth Divorce
    • Mediation
    • Property Settlement Agreements
    • Spousal Support
  • Client Reviews
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Search

Jul 14, 2015 Leave a Comment

More Men Receiving Alimony

Increase in Spousal Support for Stay-At-Home Dads

Divorced manThough national statistics still show women lagging substantially behind men in average earnings, more and more women are out-earning their husbands, and in many instances, families are opting to have the father stay at home with children because of the greater earning potential of the mother. As that trend has increased, so has another–that of stay-at-home dads successfully seeking spousal support in a divorce proceeding.

Most family law experts say that, as gender roles in society have become less delineated, the demand has been that the courts take a more gender neutral approach to divorce, custody and support. They acknowledge, though, that the legal system has been and remains, to a significant degree, biased against men in family law matters. Even though the “tender years doctrine,” the premise that mothers are biologically more skilled at nurturing small children, has been rejected nationwide, many judges (who are mostly men) still balk at the idea of a woman paying a man any level of support, even if the woman earns ten times as much as the man.

Experts also say that cultural stereotypes come into play. Many men who might have a legitimate claim for alimony, who have given up a lesser paying career to stay home with children, often don’t seek spousal support in a divorce because of the cultural perception that it would not be very “manly” to accept payment from a woman.

Not surprisingly, as more and more women out-earn their husbands, legal experts have seen a dramatic increase in the number of women asking for a prenuptial agreement. In a recent study, more than half of all family law attorneys polled said they had seen such an increase.

Contact Our Office

At the law office of Joanne E. Kleiner & Associates, we have protected the rights of men and women in and around Philadelphia for more than 25 years. Let us help you successfully resolve your family law problems. To schedule an appointment with an experienced Pennsylvania family law attorney, contact our office online or call us at 215-886-1266.

Categories: Uncategorized

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel

Footer

How can we help?

Please complete the form below and we will contact you.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

From Our Blog

  • The principle of equitable distribution in a Pennsylvania divorce
  • Divorce and Social Security retirement benefits
  • The effect of a gray divorce on your older children
  • Some tax matters associated with divorce
  • Some losses that divorce might cause

Site Info

Home  |   Practice Areas  
Firm Overview
Attorney  |  Blog  |  Contact

Social Media

FacebookTwitterLinkedin

Law Office of Joanne Kleiner | 261 Old York Rd., Ste. 402 | Jenkintown, PA 19046
215-886-1266
Map and Directions

© 2023 Joanne Kleiner. Disclaimer | Sitemap

The Best Lawyers of America Best Law Firms Award Winner Logo