- After your Divorce has been granted, the Court will then determine how to deal with all other key issues resulting from the Divorce (also known as Ancillary Matters) including the maintenance of the wife and children (e.g. financial support).
- Maintenance is the financial support that is provided to pay for the reasonable costs of accommodation, clothing, food and living expenses required by a wife or child.
- In Singapore, every husband has a legal obligation and duty to provide maintenance for his wife and every parent has the same duty to provide maintenance for the parent’s child.
- A wife can formally apply to the Court to obtain a Maintenance Order which will formally order and require your husband to provide maintenance to her (the wife) or their children.
- The wife has a right to claim maintenance from the husband regardless of her misconduct
- However, a wife’s misconduct may affect the amount of maintenance that she is awarded by the Court
- The duty of a husband or parent to provide maintenance for the wife and child exists regardless of whether Divorce proceedings are ongoing.
- This means a husband / father has a duty to maintain his wife and children even when the marriage has not broken down and when the marriage has not been ended.
- Maintenance can be provided by paying a monthly allowance or making a lump sum payment.