A more thorough explanation:

Alimony is a type of financial support that one spouse provides to the other after a divorce. It is usually given to the spouse who cannot support themselves financially. The amount of alimony is determined by a judge and can be paid in a lump sum or in monthly payments.

The amount of alimony is based on several factors, such as the length of the marriage, the income of both spouses, and any specific expenses related to the children. The duration of alimony payments is often based on the length of the marriage as well.

For example, if a couple has been married for 10 years and one spouse has been a stay-at-home parent, they may be entitled to receive alimony payments from their ex-spouse. The amount of the payments would be based on the income of both spouses and any expenses related to the children.

Another example would be if one spouse has a higher income than the other and the lower-income spouse cannot support themselves without financial assistance. In this case, the higher-income spouse may be required to pay alimony to the lower-income spouse.

These examples illustrate how alimony is used to provide financial support to a spouse who may not be able to support themselves after a divorce. It is meant to help the receiving spouse maintain their standard of living and cover any necessary expenses.