Depending upon state law, one spouse may be ordered to pay support to the other spouse while they are still married, usually during the time they are legally separated.
Temporary spousal support is paid pending divorce proceedings. This chunk-of-time distinction is also known as pendente lite (Latin for "pending the lawsuit"). Of course, if you are the breadwinner in the family and paying the bills, don't bother applying for temporary support. Your responsibilities will likely be extended beyond the divorce proceedings. And don't bother giving up your six-figure salary to dodge support responsibilities as a florist or barista - judges are savvy to that kind of stuff.
Permanent support is awarded at the conclusion of proceedings as part of the judgment of dissolution or legal separation.
As a general rule, spousal support/alimony arrangements are a series of regular payments to an ex-spouse. The receiving spouse can otherwise opt for a lump-sum arrangement (depending on state law). The advantage to this route is that one payment gets everything over with, eliminates the worry about enforcing the support order, and remarrying becomes a non-issue.
Lump sum spousal support/alimony can also be paid in installments. It can be cash, property or other things of value (i.e., car, stock, bonds, 401[k], etc.). Since the amount is fixed in the order, that's pretty much it: it ends when the payments have all been made. The danger with this approach is that lump-sum alimony is not modifiable when circumstances change. Moreover, the payee risks not getting a fair share of the marital property pie, or could be hit with a sizable tax bill if the divorce decree is not correctly worded.
Whether this type of payment plan is favorable to other available options is essentially a matter of dollars and cents. Examine the bottom line, taking into account finances, taxes, and future earnings to see if it is the best choice. Consult a divorce planner or an attorney before making this decision.
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