Sometimes there is no way out of paying alimony to a former spouse. While it certainly is not awarded in every divorce case in Louisiana and elsewhere, there are some instances when spousal support simply cannot be avoided. For the breadwinning spouse, this may be a tough pill to swallow, especially if the amount of support awarded and the duration of support seem unfair or unrealistic to maintain. This seems to be the case for actor Brendan Fraser.
Mr. Fraser has been apart of the Hollywood crowd for a long time now. Thanks to his career, his bank account is pretty padded, holding approximately $25 million. However, due to the details of his divorce settlement, he loses nearly $1 million a year to his ex wife in alimony and child support payments. While his child support obligation is set to end when his three sons turn 19, there seems to be no end in sight for his alimony payments.
The overall purpose of spousal support is to help a spouse who has been dependent on his or her partner get on his or her feet financially. For this reason, alimony is usually only awarded for a handful of years. However, there are reasons as to why long-term or permanent support may be awarded — such as age, disability and marital standard of living. The reason for the extended order in Mr. Fraser’s case seems to have to do with the standard of living he is expected to help his former wife maintain. At $75,000 a month, more than the average American makes in a year, he is certainly doing that.
The problem with Brendan Fraser’s current spousal support order is that he is not making the same kind of money that he once was, yet he is still expected to keep paying this incredibly large sum. Is that fair? It really is not. The truth is, any individual who is ordered to pay spousal support and who has experienced a significant change in financial circumstances may be able to seek a modification to the order. This is something that Mr. Fraser is actively seeking and something that individuals in Louisiana may also pursue with the assistance of legal counsel.
Source: tvovermind.com, “Brendan Fraser’s Yearly Alimony Bill To Ex Wife Afton Smith is Absolutely Bonkers,” Oct. 27, 2017