Actor Brian Green Seeks Spousal Support From Megan Fox in Divorce
Megan Fox and Brian Green are set to split after a five-year marriage. Now Green, the ex-husband-to-be, is seeking spousal support.
Fox reportedly filed for divorce in August, citing "irreconcilable differences." There was no response from Green until this week. They reportedly continue to live under one roof while caring for their two kids and the split seems as amicable as these things can be. Green is also seeking joint custody.
Spousal Support for Minor Celebrity Ex-Husbands
The couple reportedly has no prenuptial agreement and, frankly, Fox's career is hotter than that of her husband, so it should come as no surprise that he seeks support. Green, 42, is best known for his role on the television show 90201, which aired from 1990-2000, while Fox, 29, is a budding film star, famous for her role in Transformers.
The reason Green's request is making headlines, however, is because there was a time when men provided spousal support to women, almost exclusively. When working women were less common, the notion that young Ms. Fox could have more to give than Green was very rare. Spousal support for ex-husbands is increasingly common today.
Alimony Explained
The purpose of alimony is to limit any unfair economic effects of a divorce on the unemployed or lower wage-earner. There are two bases for it:
- The higher earner provides support because the other spouse sacrificed earning opportunities for the marriage.
- Support allows the lower-earning spouse to maintain a standard of living they had during marriage.
Calculating Alimony
Alimony, unlike child support, is generally at the discretion of the court. While there are very strict monetary guidelines that dictate how much child support is due, spousal support amounts are not strictly set out.
The following factors are generally considered when looking at how much support to award:
- Age, physical, emotional, and financial condition of the former spouses
- Length of time the recipient would need for education or training to become self-sufficient
- Standard of living during the marriage
- Length of the marriage
- Ability of the payer spouse to support self and the alimony recipient
How will Brian Green fare in his child support and spousal support claims? That will be up to the court to decide. First, we'll have to wait and see how Fox and her lawyers respond.
Related Resources:
- Summer Celebrity Divorce Roundup (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- How to Divorce (FindLaw)
- Spousal Support Basics (FindLaw)