What is defined as a payment to a spouse under a divorce or separation agreement?

Alimony is a payment made from one spouse to another after a divorce or separation agreement. It is intended to provide financial support to the lower-earning or non-working spouse to help them maintain a similar standard of living post-divorce. Alimony is typically determined based on various factors, such as the length of the marriage, the recipient’s needs, and the paying spouse’s ability to pay.

Child support, on the other hand, is specifically aimed at covering costs related to raising children and is not considered a payment to a spouse. A separation payment is not a widely recognized term in legal definitions related to divorce or separation agreements. Post-divorce settlement refers to the agreements and adjustments made after a divorce is finalized, but it does not specifically denote the payments made to a spouse, which is defined as alimony.