Traditional gender roles are not the standard they once were. Just watch an episode of AMC’s hit show MAD MEN or any show on the classic TV networks. You’ll see a vast difference between the homes and workplaces of today and yesterday. But for all that has changed, some views on gender roles have remained the same. While going through divorce settlements, women who were the higher wage-earners have been more hesitant to pay spousal support to their husbands. And some men have been reluctant to ask for it.
If the shoe were on the other foot, women could explain exactly why they were entitled to the amount requested. They could quantify and calculate the monetary value of their contribution to the household. Everything from the cooking to the carpools would have a price tag. And they would be absolutely right. But when the wife is putting in the extra hours and Daddy’s making dinner, wives have been a little more tight-fisted with the 401k’s. Somewhere deep down, there continues to be an unspoken belief that the guy should be earning enough on his own. He shouldn’t have to be taken care of. For some women it has even led to the resentment that turned things sour in the marriage.
Men have mixed feelings about their financial roles as well. Men whose spouses earn more than they do may be envious of their bread-winning wives. They may secretly feel guilty that they’re not the financial head of household. But when it comes down to crunching numbers, many men still want all their inputs to be taken into account. (And in this economy, who can blame them?) This is where a good divorce attorney comes in. Regardless of who wore the pants or who brought home the bacon, your attorney can help you get to a settlement that is fair and free of gender bias.
