Although the word “alimony” is not used in the Iowa Code, the terms “alimony” and “spousal support” are interchangable.  Alimony is stipend to a spouse in lieu of the other spouse’s legal obligation for support. In Re Marriage of Hansen, 733 N.W.2d 683, 702 (Iowa 2007).  In Iowa, gender is not a factor that the Court considers when determining whether or not alimony is appropriate.  The factors the Court must follow when awarding alimony are set forth in Iowa Code Section 598.21A(1) and pursuant to those guidelines either a man or a woman can be ordered to pay.  This is true in other states as well.  In 2012, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers surveyed its members and found that 47% had noticed an increase in the number of women paying alimony.  With more and more women becoming the primary breadwinners for their families, the number of women paying alimony to their ex-husbands will likely continue to increase.