AMS Mediation, based in Burnsville, Minnesota, provides excellent advocacy when it comes to divorce mediation and all aspects of the processes associated with it. One specific area of focus is helping couples settle issues surrounding Spousal Support (which is sometimes referred to as ‘alimony’).
Factors Influencing the Determination of Spousal Support
If spousal support is a component of your divorce, AMS Mediation will provide you with the best possible information for moving forward so that you come up with a solution that works for both you and your ex-spouse. Our team works with couples so that they feel confident that the settlement of spousal support questions have been reached fairly. Unlike child support, Minnesota law does not provide specific guidelines about how to calculate spousal maintenance or spousal support. Generally, the following factors are considered when determining the need for spousal support:
● Duration of the marriage
● Each spouse’s ability to be financially independent
● Education and employment history
● Age
● Marital standard of living
AMS Mediation encourages the use of pertinent documents to aid in a discussion about spousal support/maintenance during the mediation session, rather than relying on the courts to make this determination. Documents may include budgets and other relevant financial documentation. Our team believes that this helps keep you and your spouse grounded in your own financial reality – rather than in inflated budgets and win/lose tactics of a court battle.
Mediation Costs Less and Lessens Conflict
For couples with spousal support issues to be resolved in their divorce settlements, a service provided by AMS Mediation can reduce if not eliminate the stress and conflict that occurs in even the most amicable of divorces. AMS Mediation will work with both members of the divorcing couple to find common ground and achieve the best possible outcomes in every aspect of the process.
When you combine that knowledge with the understanding that mediated divorce proceedings tend to be less expensive than traditional court processes, you are likely to come out of the process thinking that it was far less stressful than you could have imagined. Such things cannot be guaranteed, of course, but if you enter your divorce process trusting that the mediator overseeing it has your best interests in mind, you will very likely feel a heightened sense of optimism about it. The mediation process, after all, is designed to maximize benefits to all parties involved, and when it comes to the issue of spousal support, fairness should be a primary concern.
AMS Mediation believes that divorcing couples can find workable and affordable solutions to the issues that led to their decision to divorce. For more information or to set up a time for a free consultation, call our team at 952.252.1492.
