Alimony and spousal support are synonymous terms. They mean the same thing. Alimony is a court-ordered money payment from one spouse (or former spouse) to the other during and after a divorce case.

Divorce trial courts need the discretion to make modification or termination of spousal support alimony effective as of the date that the motion to modify or terminate the alimony was filed. The present wording of the statute and judicial interpretations of the statute incentivize lots of bad behavior.