What is alimony?

What is Alimony? – Izmir Lawyer

What is alimony?

Alimony, according to the Turkish Language Association “"The entirety of things necessary for sustenance; livelihood."” It is defined as follows. In legal terminology, alimony is defined as the monthly payment, ordered by a court, that a person gives to someone they are obligated to support and care for.

Maintenance debt is a personal debt arising from family law. Due to its personal nature, it does not pass to heirs upon death, cannot be offset against any other debt, and cannot be seized.

It is believed that the happiness and peace of the family, the smallest unit of society, will contribute to the happiness and peace of society as a whole. Therefore, for the benefit of society, public authorities have taken protective measures for spouses and children during or after the dissolution of marriage. Alimony is one of these measures. The obligation to pay alimony is both a moral and a legal obligation. Generally, four types of alimony are foreseen in our legal system. Alimony can apply not only to spouses or children but also to descendants or ancestors who would fall into poverty.

Key Points Regarding Alimony

Turkish Civil Code Divorce law grants equal rights to both men and women, and the right to alimony is one of these rights. Alimony is not awarded in cases of gross negligence. Alimony can be paid in a single lump sum or in monthly installments. The amount of the payment is determined according to the financial situation of the spouses.

Types of Alimony What are they?

        1. Interim Alimony: This is a type of alimony awarded by a judge upon the initiation of divorce proceedings and, if deemed necessary, may continue until the outcome of the case is finalized. It is provided to prevent a negative change in the living standards of the parties during the divorce process. Interim alimony comes into play when one of the parties faces financial hardship due to the divorce proceedings. In divorce cases, it is a temporary payment, usually made by the husband to the wife, to cover the care, housing, and sustenance of the spouse and any children, either monthly or in a lump sum as deemed necessary by the judge, until the case is definitively resolved financially.

            2. Child Support This is a type of alimony awarded as a result of a divorce case. It is the payment made by the spouse who does not have custody of the child to the spouse who does have custody, to ensure they contribute to the child's expenses. Whether either spouse is at fault in the divorce is irrelevant to this type of alimony. The amount paid during the divorce proceedings, initially called interim alimony, is renamed child support alimony after the divorce decree is issued. It should be noted here that even if the child reaches adulthood or is declared an adult by a court decision, if their education continues, child support payments will continue until the completion of that education.

 3.  Alimony/Poverty Support:  Alimony is the financial support that one spouse is obligated to pay to the other spouse who will fall into poverty after a marriage ends in divorce. It is crucial to note that the fundamental condition for claiming alimony is "falling into poverty due to divorce." Secondly, the judge cannot award this type of alimony without a request. In other words, one of the parties must request alimony. The court does not consider the degree of fault in this type of alimony and can only award it if poverty is determined. The request for alimony is time-bound; it can be filed before the divorce proceedings are concluded or within one year of the divorce decree becoming final.

        4. Support/Alimony: Support alimony has no connection to divorce or marriage. Here, the obligation to provide support is primarily a moral obligation. It is a type of support paid by a person to their descendants, ancestors, or siblings who would fall into poverty if not supported. The competent court for support alimony cases is the Family Court located within the place of residence of one of the parties. Family courts are responsible for handling alimony cases.

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