Obtaining Spousal Maintenance in Singapore: Wife 在新加坡获得配偶赡养费：妻子
Section 113 of the Women’s Charter empowers the court to order a man to pay maintenance to his wife or former wife, either during marriage, or after a divorce, judicial separation, or nullity of marriage has been finalised.
The fact that the wife is drawing a large salary (evincing financial self-sufficiency) may influence the Judge, who may be reluctant to award a high quantum, if any, in maintenance fees to the wife. Also, the division of matrimonial assets, especially in circumstances where substantial assets are awarded to the wife, may justify a smaller maintenance for the wife. Maintenance may be paid either in a lump sum or in periodic payments.
Determining the Quantum of Maintenance
The court will look at the facts and determine whether the party seeking maintenance has such a need; and if so, the appropriate quantum of maintenance. Pursuant to section 114 of the Women’s Charter, the factors that will influence such a decision include:
The earning power of both parties, previously, currently and in the future.
The assets owned by either and both parties.
The financial needs, obligations and responsibilities of both parties in the future. (For example if the wife is awarded the care and control of the child, she would also need to bear the financial burden of raising the child, whilst the child would require maintenance too. Therefore, the husband may be ordered to pay for such sums.)
The standard of living enjoyed by the family before the marriage broke down.
The age of the parties and the duration of the marriage.
The contributions made by each party to the family.
Any potential losses suffered by the parties as a result of the marriage.
What is nominal maintenance?
In some cases, the wife might be financially independent at the time of the divorce but want to ensure that she can ask for maintenance if something happens in the future. In Singapore, the court cannot alter or increase maintenance in the future if there is no maintenance order to start with. Even a nominal order of S$1 leaves the door open to approach the court in future to vary and increase the maintenance if needed.
The court will not automatically order nominal maintenance. The wife must present evidence of why she should be entitled to a nominal maintenance order. As said in ATE, maintenance is not intended to create life-long dependency on the former spouse.
If you would like to seek maintenance from your husband, contact our lawyers at 8780-2499 for more information.
妇女宪章》第 113 条授权法院命令男子向其妻子或前妻支付赡养费，无论是在婚姻存续期间，
还是在离婚、司法分居或婚姻无效之后。
妻子领取高额薪水（表明经济上自给自足）这一事实可能会影响法官，法官可能不愿意向妻子判给
高额的抚养费（如果有的话）。此外，婚姻资产的分割，尤其是在大量资产被授予妻子的情况下，
可能会证明妻子需要较少的赡养费。维持费可以一次性支付，也可以定期支付。
确定维护量
法院会根据事实确定寻求赡养费的一方是否有此需要；如果是这样，适当的维护量。根据《妇女宪 章》第 114 条，影响此类决定的因素包括：
双方的盈利能力，过去、现在和未来。
任何一方或双方拥有的资产。
双方未来的财务需求、义务和责任。 （例如，如果判给妻子照顾和控制孩子，她也需要承担抚养孩子的经济负担，而孩子也需要赡养费。因此，丈夫可能会被命令支付这些款项.)
家庭在婚姻破裂前享有的生活水平。
双方的年龄和婚姻的持续时间。
每一方对家庭的贡献。
双方因婚姻而遭受的任何潜在损失。
什么是名义维护？
在某些情况下，妻子在离婚时可能经济独立，但希望确保在将来发生某些事情时她可以要求赡养费。 在新加坡，如果一开始没有赡养令，法院就不能在未来改变或增加赡养费。即使是 1 新元的象征 性命令，也为将来在需要时向法院提出更改和增加维护费用敞开了大门。
法院不会自动命令名义上的赡养费。妻子必须出示证据，证明她为何有权获得名义上的赡养令。
正如 ATE 中所说，赡养并不是要对前配偶造成终生依赖。如果您想向您的丈夫寻求赡养费，请致电 8780-2499 联系我们的律师了解更多信息。