Hi,

My name is XXXXX XXXXX X'd be happy to answer your questions today. I'm sorry to hear about your situation.

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Alimony is not quite as cut and dried as child support. The judge has a lot of discretion. First, your husband probably wouldn't get anything unless he asked for it. Assuming he did, then the judge would look at his income and expenses, and any income he had from marital assets such as bank accounts or real estate, and then determine whether your husband had enough money to reasonably meet his needs. The judge can also consider whether your husband is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. If he took a big pay cut and retired early, you can ask the judge to consider that. Then, if the judge finds that he still can't support himself, and you can afford to help, yes, he has the ability and the discretion to order you to help him make up the difference.

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