Spousal Maintenance

A Minnesota Spousal Maintenance Lawyer Who Cares

Spousal maintenance (also known as “alimony” or “spousal support”) is often a highly-contested issue in a divorce. Spousal maintenance (formerly alimony) is one of the more complex areas of family law as there are no guidelines governing the award of money from one party to another. Minnesota Statute 518.552 sets forth the grounds for an award of spousal maintenance as well as factors governing the amount and duration. Before there can be an award, the person requesting must demonstrate need and an inability to meet their need from resources available to them. Once that hurdle has been met then the Court must consider 8 factors to determine amount and duration including the ability of the payor spouse to contribute while meeting their own needs.

Identifying a standard of living of the marriage depends on the facts of each case. Consulting with accountants and financial planners can be helpful to ensure an accurate assessment of income and appropriate monthly budgets for the parties. Consulting with a vocational expert can be helpful to determining current and future earnings capacity of the maintenance recipient.

When you come to O’Connor Law and Mediation PLLC, Attorney O’Connor will listen to your concerns and provide thoughtful, professional legal advice to address those concerns.

Contact a Burnsville Spousal Maintenance Attorney

To schedule a free initial consultation with a Dakota and Scott County spousal maintenance attorney, contact Kathleen E. Rusler O’Connor, Attorney at Law at 952-529-1961.