Divorce can be a difficult process for separating couples to go through. Spousal support is one topic they may have questions about.
Spousal support is ordered by the court. It requires one former spouse to pay the other former spouse money to meet his or her needs or to preserve a similar lifestyle to what the spouse had during the marriage. It can also help that spouse become self-sufficient.
The amount of support is dependent on several factors. The court may consider the length of the marriage, the ages of the parties, their health, work experience and their earning capacity in awarding support.
Types of spousal support
There are three types of spousal support available in Oregon. They are transitional, maintenance and compensatory support.
Transitional support is for a spouse to obtain education or training needed to re-enter the workforce or advance in the workforce. It is often awarded in shorter marriages where one party needs money for a limited time to reach these goals.
Maintenance support is provided by one spouse to the other for a certain period of time or sometimes, indefinitely. It is awarded most often in longer marriages where there is a gap in earning capacity or where one spouse likely won’t be able to join the workforce.
Compensatory support is reserved for cases where one party contributed significantly to the other party’s education or career or where one party is given significantly more value in a property division. It is not used as frequently as the other types of spousal support.
An experienced attorney can help separating spouses with questions about spousal support and related divorce matters.