In many divorce cases, alimony refers to one party giving the other regular payments required by law. There are certain things that will be taken into consideration to determine if alimony will be required or not.Typically, the court will take into consideration that the married couple was considered a single unit. For example, if a spouse sacrificed a career to care for the home and children, the court may decide that this spouse will need spousal maintenance. Spousal maintenance can have great financial impacts on both parties, so it's best to find a lawyer who can fight for your financial needs. If you are seeking spousal maintenance, you will want to make sure that you can prove that you will need financial support following the divorce. Make sure you have ways of proving that you will need spousal support to cover your basic needs.