Will my husband have to keep paying rent… and what about alimony and child support?

Seeking Help
1

I’ll try to keep this short, but it’s been a tough time, so please bear with me.

I would have been married for seven years this Halloween. I filed for divorce on New Year’s Eve. I don’t have a job or a degree. I haven’t worked since we started dating. My husband is an RN and a disabled veteran, making about $10k a month. He works 50 hours a week but has only had this job since August 2024. We bought a house in December 2023, but there’s barely any equity, no savings, and no major investments. He has a newer Challenger, and I have an older van.

I filed for divorce due to irreconcilable differences. He cheated multiple times, but what really ended things was his neglect and infidelity after we lost our newborn son. I had a high-risk pregnancy in 2024, and our baby passed away at just one day old. Two months later, my husband told me he wanted a divorce. I later found out why—he wanted to sleep with other people without having to hide it.

Before we even separated, my husband started looking to sell our house and rent somewhere else. The house was falling apart, and he couldn’t keep up with repairs (he’s disabled, and the house is 125 years old and in rough shape). I never wanted the house, and it was a big source of stress in our marriage. Since he had the income, I applied to rent a home using his financials. There were some issues, but eventually, we signed the lease on 1/22/2025. He agreed to pay the rent.

My dad, who had been living with us since July 2024, was supposed to contribute, but we only had a verbal agreement. He passed away just before we moved in.

So my question is—will my husband have to keep paying rent for the rest of the lease? It’s $3k a month, and I don’t have a job yet. I’m starting a 12-week CDL course next week and will get a job as soon as possible, but I don’t have a career to fall back on.

Also, will he have to pay child support and alimony? Our kids are 6 and 4. He agreed to give me full custody, and he only has visitation two days a week for five hours at a time. He works 2 PM to 10:30 PM and never has weekends off. He doesn’t have a lawyer, but I do. My first court date is next month.

Any advice would be really helpful.

(Side note: I think he planned for me to move out with my dad so he could “fix up the house” but never intended to leave. I don’t think he expected my dad to pass away or for the rental process to take so long. He was the one who insisted I move out. That’s why he signed the lease. It’s in both our names, but only his income was used to qualify for the two-year agreement.)

2

You’ll get child support, but alimony and rent are a different story. If you can’t afford the rent, he might just take over living there. This is why it’s important to have a plan before leaving a marriage, especially when you don’t have a way to support yourself or the kids.

3

Alimony isn’t likely since you’re capable of working and the marriage wasn’t that long (some states require 10+ years for long-term support). Plus, you didn’t quit working to raise the kids—you stopped while dating. Whether he has to cover rent depends on the judge, but it’s not guaranteed since he also needs a place to live.

4

@Defender
Illinois doesn’t require a certain length of marriage for alimony, but the length does matter. That’s why OP should ask her lawyer, not random people online.

5

Reality check—after divorce, you’ll need to find a job that covers your expenses. Alimony is rare and isn’t something you can count on to live off.

6

First off, I’m so sorry for the loss of your son. That must have been heartbreaking.

Your ex might not care if you get evicted. He’ll have to pay child support, maybe some alimony, but since this was a short marriage, it wouldn’t be for long. Rent, though? Probably not.

Also, how are you planning to have primary custody while driving a truck? Do you have childcare set up?

7

@Jonah
How old are you both? Age may not officially factor in, but it can influence how a judge looks at things.

8

The court won’t make him pay both rent and alimony. You should talk to your landlord about getting out of the lease or finding someone to take over. Can you stay with family?

CDL sounds like a solid plan, but you might need a part-time job in the meantime. The court isn’t going to force him to give you most of his paycheck. Look up child support laws in your state to see what to expect.

9

You both signed the lease, so you’re both responsible for paying. Divorce doesn’t erase that.

10

First, I’m really sorry for what you’ve been through. Losing a child and going through a divorce is a lot to handle.

As for alimony, permanent alimony is almost never granted anymore. Most states have done away with it entirely. In Illinois, there are five types: temporary, fixed-term, reviewable, rehabilitative, and permanent. But permanent is rare.

For a 6-year marriage, Illinois calculates support at 28% of the marriage length, meaning you’d get alimony for about 20 months. Based on your husband’s income, that could be around $3,300 a month.

One big thing to know: Alimony ends if you move in with a new partner or remarry.

Of course, only the court can decide what you actually get, but hopefully, this gives you an idea.

11

@River
I used to practice divorce law in Illinois. Alimony is a formula based on marriage length and income. There are online calculators for it.

12

You have a lawyer and he doesn’t. Ask your lawyer.

13

The landlord will probably want the person with income to stay. If that’s your ex, you may need to find another place to live while you get back on your feet.

14

You’re both on the lease, so you’re both responsible. Also, is trucking really a good fit as a single parent of two kids?

15

Rory said:
You’re both on the lease, so you’re both responsible. Also, is trucking really a good fit as a single parent of two kids?

I don’t have many other options right now. It’s one of the best-paying jobs I can get quickly. My mom is retired and can watch my kids. She was a truck driver too and had a local union job, which I’m hoping to get into.

16

@Caiden
With her help, that could work. Wishing you the best.