I’ve been married for 10 years, and she left in December. She stopped working last August or September. While employed, she paid the utility bills and the after‑school program fees. I covered everything else, including her car($600), registration, maintenance, phone, and insurance.

She starts a new job on Monday at $18 per hour, which is beneficial for both of us. My question is whether I can stop paying her personal expenses now. I’m fine covering all joint household and child‑related costs, but I don’t want to create a case for spousal support.

My attorney gave a vague answer, saying it’s fine as long as it’s not retaliatory and we discussed it. I don’t want to discuss it with her, and I don’t want to hurt myself financially while she keeps her full paycheck.

I’m not planning to change anything immediately, more like May 1.

Any thoughts or advice? I’m in Georgia.

Before anyone jumps to alimony, here’s the full picture. She completed a certified medical assistant program but never used it. She tried online school while the kids were home, then quit. Once the kids were school‑age, she chose to work instead of going back to school, and I still covered most of the bills. Now she’s back in school finishing her degree, which should be done around December.

She says I held her back, but that’s not true. I used my GI Bill, went to school full‑time, and still worked 45 hours a week. I also split the kids’ sports, drop‑offs, and pick‑ups the whole time.