Minneapolis Spousal Maintenance Attorneys

Spousal maintenance, also known as "Maintenance" or "Alimony" is an award from the future income of one spouse for the support of the other spouse.

Maintenance may be "reserved," "waived," "awarded" or "denied." An award of maintenance will either be "temporary" or "permanent."

Temporary maintenance is awarded for a fixed period of time with the intent that it will assist the collecting spouse in re-entering the work force by securing the education necessary for career advancement. Temporary maintenance is also referred to as rehabilitative maintenance.  Permanent maintenance, on the other hand, is paid until the death of either party, or until the receiver remarries.

A number of factors play a role in the duration and amount of the maintenance award:

• Ability of spouse to provide for their own reasonable needs;
• Standard of living established during marriage;
• Custody of a child when working outside the home is not appropriate;
• Financial resources of spouse seeking maintenance;
• Ability to obtain appropriate employment;
• Loss of earnings, retirement benefits, and other;
• Physical condition of spouse seeking maintenance;
• Ability of spouse to pay; and
• Contributions to business and other marital property.

Unlike child support, spousal maintenance is considered taxable income by the IRS. At Fogel Law Offices we will work closely with financial advisors to help you negotiate various spousal maintenance sums and tax deductions in order to obtain maximum value for dollars paid or received on a monthly basis.