[dTal]

It's a huge risk because the system makes it a huge risk, that's exactly the point under discussion. An unseen negative effect of alimony laws is that wealthy people are less likely to marry "beneath their station", which promotes and entrenches social inequality.

[sokoloff]

Alimony laws affect the lifestyles of the middle income earners, not the wealthy (who have ready access to legal advice).

I doubt alimony is a significant contribution to assortive mating among the then-wealthy.

[throwawayarnty]

I heard the actor Brendan Fraser got completely screwed by the alimony system.

He was ordered to pay 50k a month (900k a year) for 10 years. Not even many wealthy would be able to handle that type of alimony.