The phrase refers to the intersection of several factors affecting financial support obligations following marital dissolution. It considers the payer’s status (specifically, a divorced father), the duration of payments, and the age at which those obligations either commence or potentially cease. An example would be a court-ordered support arrangement where a divorced father is required to provide spousal support until a specified age, potentially the age of retirement.
Understanding the interplay between these elements is crucial in family law. Historically, alimony was often viewed as a lifelong obligation. Modern legal perspectives, however, increasingly consider the recipient spouse’s ability to become self-sufficient, along with the payer’s potential retirement age and diminishing income. This balanced approach seeks to avoid creating undue hardship on either party involved in the divorce.