Twin Cities Spousal Maintenance Attorney

In Minnesota, once a divorce is final, the court may order a spouse to provide financial support for the other. This support is referred to as spousal maintenance. Spousal Maintenance is often referred to as “alimony” or “spousal support.”

Temporary Maintenance

Minnesota law sets out three types of spousal maintenance. The first, temporary maintenance, addresses the temporary financial needs of the spouse while the divorce case is pending. These needs may include immediate financial necessities such as paying rent, utilities, attorney’s fees, or other costs.

Short-Term Maintenance

The second type of spousal maintenance is short-term or transitional maintenance. Short term maintenance is usually applied where a spouse needs financial support in order to become self-sufficient after the divorce. This type of maintenance often applies where there is a significant gap in the education or training of the spouses and support may include assistance for the spouse to complete college or other training.

Long-Term Maintenance

The last type of Minnesota spousal maintenance is long-term or indefinite maintenance. Long-term maintenance is much rarer than the other two types of maintenance, but can apply for an indefinite period of time. Generally, this type of maintenance only applies where one spouse is permanently disabled and will never be able to become self-sufficient, and is reserved for the more long-term marriages. Attorney Dan McGuire may request the court to modify maintenance based on a change in circumstances for one or both of the parties.

Factors When Considering Spousal Maintenance

Minnesota courts consider an array of factors when determining proper spousal maintenance. These factors include:

  • The financial resources of each spouse

  • The time necessary for a spouse to seek education or training necessary to become self-sufficient

  • The standard of living set while married

To obtain a better understanding of how these factors may apply to your situation, it is important to speak with a Minnesota spousal maintenance attorney. Attorney Dan McGuire can guide you through the divorce process and maximize your spousal maintenance benefit or alternatively protect you from excessive spousal maintenance claims from your divorced spouse. Call McGuire Law Offices at (651) 468-2104 for a free consultation.

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