If you are deciding on whether to stay married, some factors are emotional, and others are financial. One financial factor is spousal support, and if you are considering a divorce in Michigan, you may wonder how much spousal support (also known as alimony) you or your spouse will have to pay or receive.
Alimony In Michigan
Spousal support is not automatic in Michigan. It depends on several factors, such as the length of the marriage, the income and needs of each party, the age and health of each party and the conduct of each party during the marriage.
While there is no official formula or calculator for spousal support in Michigan, some judges and lawyers use guidelines that take into account the income of both parties and the number of years they were married.
The guideline suggests that spousal support should be equal to 30% of the higher-earning spouse’s income minus 20% of the lower-earning spouse’s income. The duration of spousal support should be equal to one-third of the number of months they were married.
An Example
For example, take the example of one spouse that earns $100,000 per year and the other spouse that earns $50,000 per year. They had been married for 15 years. The guideline would suggest that spousal support should be $15,000 per year ($30,000 – $10,000) for 60 months (180 months divided 3).
Not Binding
However, this guideline is not binding and does not take into account other factors that may affect spousal support. These include the ability of each party to work, the standard of living during the marriage, the contribution of each party to the marital estate and any fault or misconduct that may have caused or contributed to the divorce.
What Is The Answer?
The guideline example above can give you an idea of what your alimony payment might be. However, what a Michigan family law judge will ultimately decide is, unfortunately, unknown.