The divorce process is a period in which couples make significant decisions both emotionally and financially. During this time, alimony comes into effect to help protect the living standards of the parties and prevent potential hardships. Alimony is financial support determined by a court order to meet the needs of a spouse or children. However, alimony is not limited to a single category; there are several types that vary depending on the circumstances. In this guide, we provide a comprehensive overview of what alimony is and the different forms it may take.
What Are the Types of Alimony?
Alimony is financial support designed to maintain economic balance during divorce proceedings or within the scope of responsibilities arising from family law. There are several types of alimony tailored to different needs. Temporary alimony, poverty alimony, and child support (participation alimony), which commonly arise during or after divorce cases, regulate obligations related to marriage and children. In addition, support alimony covers financial assistance among descendants, ascendants, and siblings. Each type of alimony is evaluated separately by the court based on the parties’ circumstances.
1. Temporary Alimony (Tedbir Nafakası)
Temporary alimony is a type of short-term financial support awarded only for the duration of a divorce or separation case. Its purpose is to secure the basic needs of the spouse who may face financial hardship during the legal process. When determining temporary alimony, the court carefully examines the parties’ income, assets, and living standards. At this stage, fault is not investigated; what matters is which party requires economic protection.
No distinction is made between men and women when awarding temporary alimony. The decision is granted in favor of the spouse who needs financial support, and payments continue from the date the lawsuit is filed until the decision becomes final. If the case results in divorce, temporary alimony may continue under a different name, such as poverty alimony or child support.
It is also possible to request temporary alimony without filing for divorce, provided certain conditions are met:
The spouses must be living separately in practice,
There must be a legally valid marriage,
A justified reason for living apart must exist,
The alimony request must be clearly submitted to the court.
If these conditions are satisfied, the court may award temporary alimony even without a divorce case.
2. Support Alimony (Yardım Nafakası)
Support alimony is a type of financial assistance that is not directly related to divorce but aims to promote solidarity among family members. It refers to monetary support provided by blood relatives to individuals who are unable to support themselves. According to the law, descendants, ascendants, and siblings—such as children, parents, grandparents, and brothers or sisters—bear responsibility toward one another within the scope of support alimony. The goal is to prevent a family member from falling into poverty and to help meet their basic needs.
When deciding on support alimony, the court considers the following factors:
Whether the claimant is genuinely experiencing financial hardship,
Whether the obligated party has the financial capacity to pay,
Whether there is a legal duty of support among the family members,
Whether the claimant’s fault is not of a nature that would disqualify them from receiving assistance.
The key point in this type of alimony is the claimant’s need for financial support to overcome poverty. The court reviews the parties’ income levels and living conditions before determining the amount. Support alimony represents a legal reflection of economic solidarity within the family and is awarded upon request.
3. Poverty Alimony (Yoksulluk Nafakası)
Poverty alimony is awarded to protect the living standard of the spouse who is likely to face financial difficulty due to divorce. When making this decision, the court carefully evaluates the parties’ income levels, assets, and the economic balance that will emerge after the divorce. To qualify for poverty alimony, the requesting spouse must not be more at fault and must be at risk of falling into poverty as a result of the divorce. The amount is determined according to the financial capacity of the paying party and begins once the court’s decision becomes final.
4. Participation Alimony / Child Support (Katılım – İştirak Nafakası)
Participation alimony, commonly known as child support, refers to the regular financial contribution made by the parent who does not have custody after the divorce toward the child’s education, healthcare, and care expenses. In this type of alimony, the spouses’ degree of fault is not considered because the primary objective is to preserve the child’s living standards.
The obligation generally ends when the child turns 18, gets married, or is legally declared an adult by court order. To ensure that the amount is determined correctly and the process proceeds smoothly, obtaining assistance from a divorce attorney is often beneficial.
