Happens all the time...just in different dollar amounts based on what a man's earning are. His settlement is probably par for the course if you take a ratio of today's average male wage earner. The court looks at the fact that she has become accoustomed to a specific lifestyle so why should she have to change. Heck, my attorney told me I could have ended up paying about $850 - $1000/month for at least a couple of years because my wife didn't have a job when we got divorced. Lucky me I didn't have to but I could have and believe me...that would have really hurt. Old Paul will make that money back within a year or two.