When it comes to divorce, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there. One of the most common is that if a woman cheats, she won't be entitled to alimony. This simply isn't true. While infidelity can be a factor in awarding alimony, it's not the only factor and it's certainly not a guarantee that a woman will be denied alimony if she has cheated.
In order to understand how cheating can impact an alimony award, it's important to first understand what alimony is and how it's awarded. Alimony, also called spousal support or maintenance, is financial support paid from one ex-spouse to another after they divorce. The purpose of alimony is to help the receiving spouse maintain their standard of living after divorce and transition into single life.
There are several factors that courts will consider when determining whether or not to award alimony and how much should be paid. These include things like the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, each spouse's education and training levels, each spouse's age and health, any prior marriages either spouse may have had, and more.
As for cheating, courts generally view it as an indication that one spouse cannot be trusted to uphold their end of a bargain or faithfully follow through on commitments (such as those made in a marriage). Cheating can also make it difficult for the betrayed spouse to trust the cheater again which can impact their ability to work together cooperatively on things like co-parenting after divorce. In some cases, cheating may also lead to one spouse spending less time with their children as they try to avoid contact with the other parent. All of these factors can influence a court's decision on whether or not to award alimony and how much should be paid if they do decide to grant it.
Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule and there are no guarantees when it comes to divorce proceedings since every case is unique. If you're considering divorcing your cheating wife then you'll want to speak with an experienced family law attorney in your state about your specific situation so you know what you might expect during the process