Spousal Support | Maintenance | Alimony

Spousal Support Attorneys in Rogers, MN

Minnesota Spousal Maintenance Lawyers

At Martin & Wagner, P.A., our family law firm is focused on representing the needs of men and women throughout the divorce and spousal support processes. Whether you are going through a divorce or are seeking a spousal maintenance modification after a divorce decree has been finalized, our Rogers spousal maintenance lawyers are available to assist you. We can represent your interests in negotiations and court-ordered mediation or at trial.

Effective January 1, 2019, Spousal Maintenance is Tax-Free on all new divorces

Starting January 1, 2019, spousal maintenance will no longer be tax deductible to the payor and the recipient no longer needs to claim the spousal maintenance as income on their tax returns. While it is presumed that all divorces with spousal maintenance entered before January 1, 2019 will be grandfathered in with the old law upon any modifications of spousal maintenance, the law is too new to be able to tell how Minnesota Courts will handle it.

Temporary and Permanent Alimony Awards

In general, there are three types of spousal maintenance (formerly called "alimony"), awarded during or after a divorce:

• Temporary spousal maintenance: This spousal support is paid to a spouse for a specfific duration of time, meanint it has a specified end date.

• Rehabilitative maintenance: A judge may award temporary rehabilitative maintenance to support a spouse who needs retraining or education to re-enter the workforce. Once this training is obtained and the spouse receiving the maintenance is able to be self-supporting, the maintenance obligation ends.
• Permanent maintenance: In these cases, spousal maintenance is deemed permanent (but should be called indefinite) and will last until modified by the Court,the lifetime of the payor or the recipient spouse or until the recipient remarries (if the payor gets remarried it has no effect on the obligation).

To understand what support you are entitled to, or to discuss what your support obligation may look like during or after your divorce, contact our attorneys.

How Spousal Support Is Determined in MN

In Minnesota, there is no set earnings-based formula for spousal support as there is for child support. Any amount can be negotiated between the parties or decided by a court. However, this number is dependent on several statutory factors, including:

• The length of the marriage
• The financial need of the spouse seeking support
• The support recipient's employment prospects
• The standard of living during the marriage
• The payor's ability to pay spousal support

Contact Our Rogers Law Firm for More Information

To learn more about spousal support obligations in Minnesota, contact Martin & Wagner, P.A., online or call 763-425-6330 to schedule a free ½ hour consultation with one of our family law attorneys.

From our Rogers law office, we provide legal representation to clients throughout the Greater Twin Cities area including, but not limited to Albertville, Anoka, Buffalo, Elk River, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Monticello, and St. Michael and other communities within Hennepin County, Wright County, Stearns County, Sherburne County, and Anoka County.