Guys Can Be Gold Diggers, Too

by Genevieve

As more men are receiving alimony payments from higher-earning ex-wives, they face the same “gold digging” reputation that divorced women either battle or embolden.

The Wall Street Journal yesterday profiled a number of formerly married couples whose divorce terms awarded the man either a one-time payment or monthly alimony. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 33% of wives outearned their husbands in 2005, and the amount of males receiving alimony payments increased 50 percent from 2001 to 2006.

“I don’t understand why someone becomes your financial responsibility just because you married them,” the alimony-paying ex-wife of a former “The Young and The Restless” star, told the paper. For spouses who contribute more time than income to a marriage, the payout is only fair, however.

“If it was not for the joint decision to support [my wife]’s career advancement to the detriment of mine, I would be making considerably more than I am currently,” one ex-husband who had taken a cut in pay to relocate for his wife’s career, argued.

Of course, cringe-inducing pre-nups exist to send arguments like these the way of the dinosaurs. In the meantime, what say you — should spouses be legally obligated to share the wealth with their exes?