Budgets and Living Expenses in an Oregon Divorce
Budgets in an Oregon Divorce: The Short Version
Most divorce mediation processes in Oregon require one or more budgets, which Portland mediator Matthew House will help you develop in your Beaverton divorce mediation sessions.
- You will need adult budgets and a child-specific budget if at least one joint child is younger than 21.
- You will need only adult budgets if one or both parties believe that spousal support should be discussed, if you have no joint children younger than 21.
- Matthew has mediation-specific budget forms for you to complete, even if you have already developed a budget of your own.
How are Budgets Used in Divorce Mediation?
Budgets serve several purposes in your divorce mediation process with Mediator Matthew House, J.D., such as:
- The mediation session that includes developing the post-divorce budget aims to ensure that each adult has sufficient resources to avoid his or her own expenses after the divorce.
- If you have minor children or other dependents, you need to be sure that you can afford the expenses necessary to take care of those responsibilities as well.
- Because spousal support is based in part on the paying spouse's ability to pay and the receiving spouse's need for support, the budgets establish that spousal support is affordable by the paying spouse and needed by the receiving spouse, understanding that both parties' standard of living may need to be adjusted to be more frugal in the immediate aftermath of the divorce.
- Child support calculations are based, in large part, on the income of the parties and the spousal support that each one pays or receives, if any. Therefore, the budgets that determine the appropriateness of spousal support indirectly affect the child support calculation.
- Some expenses that households may consider ordinary but are not specifically "needs" are not meant to be covered by regular child support. Instead, costs such as extracurricular activities are usually paid for with supplemental provisions in the Marital Settlement Agreement. The budgets establish the affordability of those non-essential but still important costs.
How Can Mediator Matthew House Assist You with Your Divorce Budgeting?
In addition to correcting the above mistakes and oversights, Matthew is familiar with the likely costs of post-divorce life. He can also point out where your estimates might be unrealistically high or low.
Here is an article from Matthew's blog, www.matthew.house, about post-divorce budgeting.
Here is an article from Matthew's blog, www.matthew.house, about post-divorce budgeting.
What to Prepare
Your intake file will include a budget list for you to complete. You will provide estimates of your anticipated expenses if you are able to do so. Otherwise, Matthew will assist you during your sessions. If you have already prepared a budget, you're off to a great head start. Matthew will ask you questions that will probably result in some additions or changes to your existing budget to fit within the objectives of the mediation process. You do not need to provide proof of your expenses unless the other party disputes the estimates, which is unusual.
Next Steps
Schedule a 90-minute in-person or Zoom introduction (first hour is always FREE)
or a 30-minute free "meet-and-greet" as soon as you're ready to begin mediation.
or a 30-minute free "meet-and-greet" as soon as you're ready to begin mediation.