Alimony is a type of obligated spousal support that is established by law in many countries and is based on the premise that both spouses have an absolute obligation to support each other during the marriage (or civil union) unless they are legally separated. In some instances the obligation to support may continue after separation.

Sourced

• Alimony — the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.
  • A Book of Burlesques by H.L. Mencken

• Alimony is like buying oats for a dead horse.
  • New York American by Arthur Baer

• Judges, as a class, display, in the matter of arranging alimony, that reckless generosity which is found only in men who are giving away someone else's cash.
  • Louder and Funnier by P.G. Wodehouse

• In some instances, alimony has become akin to a social-welfare program provided by working women to their ex-husbands.
  • Diane Garnick by Wall Street Journalhttp://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120700651883978623.html

Unsourced

• Alimony is the curse of the writing class.
  • Norman Mailer

• The vie de bohème is a way of life that has two formidable enemies - time and marriage. Even hooligans marry, though they know that marriage is but for a little while. It is alimony that is forever.
  • Quentin Crisp