In Minnesota, alimony is frequently referred to as “spousal maintenance” and what this means is that one party will have to continue with the financial support of the other after the marriage comes to an end.
In the traditional sense, it has always been the husband paying spousal maintenance to the wife because of his higher earning capacity, but this has changed through the years. There has been an increase in the number of women paying spousal support because of the increase in dual-income households and the increasing earning capacity of women.
If you are going through a divorce and you need an attorney well-versed in spousal maintenance, the Olson Law Firm has a Minneapolis divorce attorney who can guide you through the process and help you work toward a fair outcome in the divorce settlement.
Helping You Achieve The Right Outcome
There are two types of spousal maintenance in Minnesota: permanent spousal maintenance and temporary spousal maintenance.
Permanent spousal maintenance typically remains in place until the recipient remarries, one of the parties passes away, or the court determines that the support should be terminated. If you need spousal maintenance to be terminated, then your attorney can guide you through this.
Temporary spousal maintenance remains in place for a certain amount of time, usually long enough for the party receiving support to build a financial foundation. The support can be in place just long enough for the spouse to go to school or find more meaningful employment.
Guidance Through The Spousal Maintenance Process
Spousal maintenance is a part of the divorce process, which means it is a “process within a process.” There are a number of factors that are considered when the court is determining which type of spousal maintenance is appropriate and how much should be paid each month:
- Financial resources of the party requesting to receive support, including marital property they have and their ability to independently support themselves
- The time they need to obtain meaningful employment or an education that can lead to employment opportunities.
- The skills, age, probability of completing education and training, and ability to self-support
- The standard of living during the marriage
- The length of the marriage, length of absence the party requesting support has been away from the workplace, and whether or not the party was a homemaker
- Loss of seniority, retirement benefits, and other benefits that may have been accrued during past employment
- The contribution of each party to the acquisition, depreciation, appreciation, and preservation of marital property
- The ability of the proposed paying party to meet their own needs while paying support to their former spouse
Your Minneapolis divorce attorney will guide you through this process and educate you so you can make informed decisions and also provide the correct information in detailed form so that you increase the chances of getting the result you seek.
Contact A Minneapolis Divorce Lawyer
Alimony, also referred to as spousal support, may be awarded to one spouse in a divorce. There are different time periods in which this support may be in place, so it is important that the correct length of time is established. If you are going through a divorce and alimony is one of the matters that will be on the table, you need an experienced divorce lawyer by your side. To learn more about how the Olson Law Firm can help you, call 612-816-2322 to schedule a free consultation.
