Real South Carolinians Share Their Stories

"Still Paying for a Marriage That Ended Years Ago”

I was married for 15 years. We both worked, we both contributed, and when it ended, I thought the hardest part would be moving on emotionally. But I was wrong. It’s been 12 years since the divorce, and I’m still paying permanent alimony every single month. My ex has since earned a graduate degree, been engaged (going on six years now), and bought a new home — yet I’m still legally responsible for supporting her. I’ve tried to rebuild, but how do you move forward when the law keeps you tethered to the past? Permanent alimony isn’t justice — it’s a lifelong punishment.

"The Grief Never Ended — It Just Changed Forms”

Divorce was devastating. I spent years trying to heal, to forgive, to rebuild some sense of normalcy. But when the court ordered permanent alimony, it felt like the grief started all over again. Every month is a reminder of the loss — not just of my marriage, but of my independence. I’m not bitter, but I am exhausted. This isn’t how healing works. South Carolina’s laws don’t help families recover; they keep us stuck in a cycle of resentment and financial strain. There is no closure. Ever.

"I’m 78 and Still Working"

I’m 78 years old and still working full time. Not because I want to — but because I have to. I was married for 18 years and have now paid alimony for over 30. My body hurts, my energy is gone, and I can’t retire because the payments never end. My ex lives comfortably, and that’s fine — but I should have the right to rest. After a lifetime of work, this system has taken away the peace I earned. It’s not fairness. It’s cruelty disguised as compassion.

"Financially Bound to the Person Who Left Me"

When my marriage ended, it wasn’t my choice. I didn't choose the divorce, file for it, or dictate its terms. I accepted it, painful as it was, and tried to move forward. But the state decided I would remain financially tied to my ex indefinitely. I lost my house, my right to see my children every day, and any sense of stability. Now, imagine being forced to send a check every month to the person who left you, while trying to rebuild your life. It’s not about revenge — it’s about justice. South Carolina needs laws that reflect equality and personal responsibility, not permanent dependency.

"No Way to Move Forward"

I believed divorce would bring closure, but it didn’t. My ex moved out of state and hasn’t worked in years, even though she’s capable and educated. I’ve filed for modification, but the system is stacked against you from the start. Judges rarely end permanent alimony once it’s awarded. So I keep paying, year after year, while trying to explain to my children why their father still writes checks to their mother. This isn’t just a legal problem — it’s an emotional one that never ends.

“A Lifetime of Paying for the Past”

I supported my ex through school and career changes, and when we divorced, the judge said I’d continue supporting him — for life. I’ve since remarried, raised children, and worked my way up professionally, but that court order never stopped. Every raise, every promotion, every success feels half-earned because someone else still benefits from it. Alimony should be a bridge — not a leash. I want to move on, not look backward for the rest of my life

“This Isn’t Equality — It’s Entrapment”

I was a stay-at-home mom for most of my marriage, and I understand the need for support during transition. But permanent alimony doesn’t encourage rebuilding — it encourages dependency. I’ve seen women who could thrive, who could start new careers, but they don’t because the system rewards doing nothing. That’s not empowerment — it’s entrapment. Fairness means giving both people the chance to stand on their own two feet again

A System That Destroys More Than It Protects”

I thought South Carolina’s family courts were meant to protect families, but what I’ve seen is the opposite. Permanent alimony has turned former spouses into lifelong adversaries. It keeps anger alive and drags conflict into every new chapter of life. My kids have grown up watching two parents stay locked in battle — not because of love or hate, but because the law won’t let go. We deserve a system that ends marriages fairly and lets both people truly start over.

Serving My Country Was Easier Than Surviving This”

I spent 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, serving my country, deploying overseas, and sacrificing time with my family. I thought retirement would mean peace — time to finally live the life I’d earned. But instead, for the past 26 years, I’ve been paying permanent alimony to the woman who left me. She’s never remarried, never worked full-time, and continues to live off my pension while I keep working to support her lifestyle. I didn’t mind providing when we were married — that’s what families do — but to be ordered to do it for life, decades after the divorce, is something no veteran should ever face. I served my country with honor. Now I just want the freedom I fought for.
— Retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Sumter

Starting Over Shouldn’t Mean Starting From Behind”

I’m in my early 40s, trying to build a business and a new life after divorce. But every time I get ahead, that alimony payment pulls me back. My ex is fully capable of working — she has a degree and no dependents — but South Carolina law doesn’t care. I’m paying almost $2,000 a month while renting a one-bedroom apartment and skipping vacations with my kids because I can’t afford it. I don’t want to punish anyone. I just want to move forward like everyone else.
— Small Business Owner, Greenville

“I Was Young, Naïve, and Thought This Would End”

I was 34 when I got divorced. The judge called it “permanent alimony,” and I honestly didn’t think it meant forever — I assumed it would end once my ex got back on her feet. That was twelve years ago. She’s cohabitated with another partner (carefully avoiding staying together for 90 consecutive days) and still receives monthly checks from me. The stress has followed me through every chapter of my life — new relationships, job changes, even mental health struggles. I’ve learned to live with it, but it’s a weight that never lifts. There’s nothing “rehabilitative” about a lifetime sentence.
— Sales Professional, Charleston

"She Knows Exactly How to Work the System”

My ex figured out early on that the system rewards dependency. Every time I try to modify the order, she finds a way to make it look like she still “needs” the money — part-time jobs that conveniently end, vague health claims, new boyfriends she won’t live with just to keep the checks coming. We were married for thirteen years, and I’ve now paid for 17 years and counting, and the courts don’t care that she’s capable of full-time work, despite significant education and experience. South Carolina’s laws make it easy to manipulate the system and impossible to escape it. It’s not about fairness anymore — it’s about who can play the game better.
— Engineer, Anderson County

After my divorce, I rebuilt my life — but the court order means it never really ended. — South Carolina father, Pickens

Unfortunately, our marriage didn't work out. Despite that, I don’t want my ex-husband trapped forever. I support alimony reform.” — South Carolina mother of two, Greenville