Unlike child support, spousal support is often very difficult (if not impossible) to modify after the divorce is final, so getting it right the first time is a must!
I am dating a man who was married for 18 years and has 2 teens, 15 and 19 who live with his X. He pays the required 28% support for them, plus another 10-15% (give or take) spousal support with a 4 year reviewable clause. The 4 years is up this summer. The reason he still pays on the 19 year old is that he dropped out of school (without his dads knowledge) and is working on a GED. I believe the judge will drop this one. He also still provides medical insurance for the X. Anyway...his X has not sought meaningful employment during these 4 years. She works out of the house part time. During the marriage, she worked periodically. She has some college, but no degree. She had treatable depression, breast cancer caught early on, treated, and has been in remission ever since. She sees a counselor now. I believe she is mentally stable enough to work, but is highly manipulative and lazy and is under the assumption that her X husband should support her indefinately. She likes to smoke, drink, and sleep til noon. I believe she will be hard pressed to provide medical documentation for the duration of the 4 years preventing her from job training or education. I work very hard for what I have and am hesitant to commit for fear of the future of this case.