Spousal Support in Oregon is much more complicated than Child Support, which is determined by an on-line Oregon child support calculator. Don’t believe various website claims: there is no Oregon spousal support calculator used or accepted by the Family Courts in Oregon. While you may read or hear examples of spousal support in Oregon, the circumstances for thoshttps://justice.oregon.gov/guidelines/e examples are likely different than your own circumstances.
This article is intended to describe some of this complexity in a straightforward way. However, this primer is no substitute for legal advice with a qualified divorce professional in your area.
If spousal support is likely in your divorce, you may already have a guess about which of the three types of alimony in Oregon applies to your situation. You’re probably now wondering “What is a reasonable amount of spousal support?” Unfortunately, there are no quick and easy answers. Websites claiming to provide an online alimony calculator are highly inaccurate.
The Main Components of Spousal Support
A standard spousal support settlement has three main elements. These are the amount per month, the duration (number of months), and what will end the support. Oregon spousal support orders must be written to end upon the death of the payer. While it is rare and legally complicated, divorce settlements have additional factors which would trigger the end of the support.
You will want to specify the monthly payment date and manner of payment. You will also establish life insurance for the payer that covers the remaining amount of the support. In some circumstances, spouses may negotiate to do a one-time lump sum “property settlement payment” in lieu of monthly payments.
The Factors Considered in Oregon Spousal Support
There are several factors the courts consider when making a spousal support ruling. The main factors that are relevant to all three types of support (transitional, compensatory, and maintenance) include:
- the length of the marriage
- both spouses’ financial needs and resources
- the requesting spouse’s work experience, employment skills, and income potential
- which spouse has custody of the child(ren) and which spouse pays child support
If your situation falls into the category of “compensatory support,” the court will also be looking closely at the amount and nature of the spousal contribution made to the higher wage-earner. They will also consider how much this contribution has already benefited each of you in the marriage.
If your marriage circumstances are oriented more towards “spousal maintenance”, the court may also consider the standard of living during a marriage. The court also may factor in the ages, and physical, mental and emotional health of each spouse.
While the Oregon courts historically considered how each spouse’s taxes would be affected by the spousal support, that is no longer relevant. The tax code changes implemented in January, 2019 rendered spousal support a non-taxable event.
The Main Approaches for Determining Spousal Support
Unlike child support in Oregon, there is no official calculator for figuring out a fair spousal support arrangement. Furthermore, the range of factors legally considered leaves a lot of “grey areas” and lends complexity to any attempt at a simple calculation. The process of determining a fair and reasonable spousal support settlement amount in Oregon may differ, depending on the divorce professional assisting you. Some of the approaches are:
- Needs and Resources. One of the benefits of mediation is that the environment and structure allows for direct, respectful and empowered conversation between parties. In exploring spousal support parties develop accurate future monthly budgets to assess what resources are needed and available for each spouse’s economic stability.The spouse requesting support can research the costs of additional job training or education that is needed to enhance their earning capacity, and negotiate proposals from these needs and goals, with clear understanding of what is available from the paying spouse’s budget.
- Income-Based Formulas. Once all of the spousal support factors are analyzed, the predictions and bargaining positions taken by many litigating family law attorneys are based on the history of case law; in other words, what is the historical trend for how local trial court family court judges have ruled in divorce circumstances similar to yours. This is often in the form of a fraction of the number of years married (for duration), and a calculation based on a percentage of the difference in gross incomes of the spouses (for amount).
- Other Tools. Some Oregon counties have had spousal and child support award data collected from family court trials during periods of time. This data can provide examples of what the court considered fair with other families in similar divorce circumstances.You can also find examples of “spousal support calculators” online, yet different states have different alimony guidelines. Oregon’s spousal support amounts differ widely based on the County and legal factors of the divorce. Financial Planners and CDFAs (Certified Divorce Financial Analysts) can help you figure out how much different spousal support options could impact each spouse’s longer-term financial wealth and stability.
Can I Modify Spousal Support in the Future?
In Oregon, either spouse (or attorney representing them) can file a motion asking the court to modify or end spousal support. However, Oregon courts will only grant this modification if there has been a substantial change in the financial circumstances of either or both spouses.
An unexpected income drop and decreased ability to pay support will more likely be considered a substantial change in financial circumstance. An unexpected rise in the income of the person receiving support may also be considered a substantial change. Yet, the longer-term financial independence is the underlying goal of most spousal support orders. Spousal support orders defined as “compensatory” are even harder to modify. They require a more severe decrease in the paying spouse’s ability to be considered by the court.
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Read more about how alimony works.
Read Tips for Getting the Most from your Attorney during Mediation.