Under the HMA, the court looks at the wife’s standard of living during the marriage, the husband’s full earning capacity (not just his present salary), and the wife’s long-term financial needs. After the new Supreme Court judgment (June 2025), courts are required to ensure that maintenance helps the wife maintain the same lifestyle she had in the marriage, not just survive on a basic amount.
Courts may also order transfer of the marital home instead of monthly payments, especially in long or delayed litigation. Permanent alimony can increase automatically every two years (as per the new inflation-index approach). The husband’s remarriage or new responsibilities cannot reduce his obligation toward his first wife.