The emotional costs mount for people wanting to get a divorce from an unhappy marriage.  Some people stay married indefinitely because they don’t know if a divorce will leave them with enough money to make it on their own.

In marriages where domestic violence exists, some wives endure years of abuse because they can’t be sure if husbands, who control the family finances, will be required to give them the money they need to live if they leave.

New York State in 2011 passed a law adopting a formula for setting certain alimony awards, making them fairer and predictable.  This law also establishes a mathematical formula to calculate temporary alimony, so that a spouse can have money to live on while the divorce is pending. It also allows judges to adjust those awards up or down under special circumstances.

All states need to pass the same law.