Spousal Support in Portland Divorce Mediation
What is Spousal Support in Oregon
- Spousal Support is the legal term in Oregon for what some other states may call "alimony."
- It is money paid by one party to the other party, upon a divorce, for reasons other than child support or property division.
- Not all divorce cases involve spousal support, but many do.
- Every case must state whether spousal support will be included and the factors that the parties considered.
- Most cases that have spousal support have only one of the three types, but it's possible to have more than one.
What types of spousal support does Oregon have?
Transitional Spousal Support
- Meant to assist the receiving party in making the transition to financial independence
Maintenance Spousal Support
- May be appropriate if there is a significant disparity in earning capacity to maintain a standard of living reasonably comparable to that of the marriage
Compensatory Spousal Support
- Can be awarded to one party for significant financial or other contributions to the other party's education, career, or earning capacity
- Typically the least common type of spousal support, applying only to limited circumstances
Facts About Spousal Support in Oregon
- As of January 1, 2019, spousal support is no longer tax-deductible by the payer.
- Likewise, spousal support is not taxable income for the recipient.
- Unlike child support, there is no online calculator or specific formula for spousal support in Oregon. Any "Oregon spousal support calculator" you find online or anyone claiming that there is a precise formula is wrong. There are factors to consider and general guidelines, but no fixed formula and certainly no definite amount or duration.
- Spousal support does not automatically end when the recipient remarries, but you can include that provision in your agreement if you wish.
What Matthew Will Do for You in Mediation:
Working from his proprietary rubric of five steps and over 30 considerations, Matthew will walk you through all aspects of spousal support so that you can agree to accept or reject each component that should be documented one way or the other in your Marital Settlement Agreement.
Please Note
An anecdote from a friend (or two or three) or random facts online should not be relied upon as factual, especially about spousal support. Something so individualized can be very misleading if taken out of context and applied to other circumstances. Please wait until you get to mediation to gather complete information from Matthew.
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.