SingaporeHow is maintenance for a wife determined?
A wife's maintenance is determined by the court based on her needs, the husband's income and assets, and other factors in section 114 of the Women's Charter.
What the Law Says
The Women's Charter sets out how a court decides whether to award maintenance to a wife — and how much — after divorce, judicial separation, or nullity.
Section 114 gives the court broad discretion to order maintenance for a wife if it considers it just and equitable. The court must consider several factors, including the wife’s financial needs, her earning capacity, the standard of living during the marriage, the duration of the marriage, and each party’s contributions — both financial and non-financial.
The law does not set fixed formulas or percentages. Instead, it requires a fair, case-by-case assessment. Maintenance can be ordered as a lump sum or periodic payments, and may be varied or terminated later if circumstances change.
Statutory TextThe court may, on granting a judgment of divorce, judicial separation or nullity of marriage, or at any time thereafter, order the husband to make to the wife such periodical payments, for her maintenance or for the maintenance of any child of the marriage, as the court thinks reasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case including the conduct of the parties and their respective means.
— Women's Charter, s. 114 — Maintenance of wife or children
What to Do
File an application for maintenance in the Family Justice Courts (if not already included in divorce proceedings).
Gather evidence of your financial needs, income, expenses, health, and contributions to the marriage.
Disclose full and accurate information about your assets and income — failure to do so may affect the outcome.
Attend mediation or court hearings as required, and be prepared to explain your circumstances clearly.
Apply to vary the order later if your needs or your ex-spouse’s ability to pay changes significantly.
Sources
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US-New YorkNot legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.