Alimony or spousal support can take multiple forms; each has to do with specific matters in a divorce.

We explain the main types of alimony to help you understand their purposes and conditions.

Permanent (Periodic) Alimony

Permanent alimony continues indefinitely. It’s the standard choice in family courts.

Payments generally stop only when the payor or recipient passes away or if the recipient gets married again.

If the recipient starts to reside with someone of the opposite sex, especially in a long-term arrangement where they share living expenses, the court may find it best to end the payments.

Temporary or casual visits don’t qualify as cohabitation.

Rehabilitative Alimony

In rehabilitative alimony, the idea is to support a spouse in becoming independent.

This can be helping them get the necessary skills or extending financial support while they stay at home with young children.

This type of alimony usually has a time limit, which could be the time it takes for the youngest child to start attending school full-time.

Once this period comes to an end, the court may review the arrangement to figure out whether continuing support is necessary.

Reimbursement Alimony

Reimbursement alimony has to do with a scenario where Spouse A repays Spouse B for their expenses in supporting Spouse A.

For example, if one spouse worked to support the family while the other pursued higher education or vocational training, and the couple divorces soon after, it is the supporting spouse that may receive reimbursement alimony.

This type of alimony pays for the financial resources and time spent supporting the other spouse during their education or training, not for day-to-day living expenses.

Lump-Sum Alimony

Lump-sum alimony is a one-time, fixed payment.

It’s not influenced by circumstances that generally put an end to other forms of alimony (remarriage or recipient's death); usually an alternative to a property settlement in a divorce agreement.


All these types of alimony have a specific purpose. They make sure that financial support is provided in a way that suits the special circumstances of each case.

Legal professionals in South Carolina can help you better understand these distinctions so you can overcome the complexities of divorce settlements.


For more information, visit https://charlestonlaw.net/divorce-lawyers-charleston/