Financial Stability in Two Households
This is splitting the day-to-day finances of one household into two. Learn how to balance income and expenses for both of you (and children), assess future earning potential and explore various financial support types, like child support, spousal support (alimony/maintenance) or direct expenses.
Cash Flow - Making Two Households Work Financially
An introduction to the cash flow analysis in divorce, focusing on income and expenses post-divorce and the ability of parties to support themselves (and children).
Income - How to Calculate What you Earn or What you Should Earn
In order to determine if you have sufficient money to meet your reasonable financial needs, you need to map out income.
Cash Flow - Is Support Needed?
Once you have a budget and income, the next step is to determine if you need support. Learn about this fundamental questions and types of support to consider.
Spousal Support - Everything you Need to Know
Learn all the considerations and elements of the analysis of spousal support, one of the most challenging financial aspects of divorce.
Child Support - Providing Financial Stability for the Children
Learn the key aspects of child support, including its purpose, calculation, enforcement, modification, and potential impact on your post-divorce financial situation.
Direct Expenses as Support
By allocating specific expenses to each spouse, direct payment arrangements provide transparency, accountability, and flexibility, allowing for a more tailored approach to financial support that meets the unique needs and circumstances of the family.
Children’s Direct Expenses as Part of Support
Learn the practicalities of implementing agreements on sharing direct expenses for children after divorce, aiming to provide clarity and guidance and avoid potential conflict.
Combination of Support Types
Integration of support types, like spousal support, child support and direct payment of expenses, can provide for unique agreements tailored to your specific circumstances.
Lump Sum/Buyout of Support Payments
Learn the pros and cons of making a lump sum buyout of support.
Percentages of Income
A concept in child support or direct expenses for children where each parent pays a percentage of expenses based upon that parent’s percentage of the combined income of both parents.
Marital Standard of Living
Also known as standard of living, the degree of comfort you and your spouse lived in during your marriage, including the home you lived in, the vacations you took, restaurants you ate at and the overall lifestyle that you lived.
Long-Term Spousal SUpport
Also known as indefinite spousal support or permanent spousal support, a type of financial support provided to a spouse who is unable to achieve financial self-sufficiency due to factors such as income, age, health, or other circumstances.
Gross Income
Money coming into a household from all sources, including employment earnings, investments, and any other financial inflows before any deductions or taxes.
Cohabitation
Living together in a romantic or domestic relationship without being legally married; may affect spousal support obligations if it substantially changes the financial circumstances of the recipient spouse.
Standard of Living
Also known as marital standard of living, the degree of comfort you and your spouse lived in during your marriage, including the home you lived in, the vacations you took, restaurants you ate at, and the overall lifestyle that you lived.
Fixed Costs
Essential living expenses that stay relatively stable month-to-month and annually.
Direct Kids’ Expenses
Expenditures for children that can be separated out and are clearly only for the children, for example clothes, extra-curricular activities and school expenses.
Family Support
Also known as simply “support,” one combined payment permitted in some jurisdictions that encompasses both spousal support and child support, without differentiation between the two.
Lump Sum
Also known as buyout, when the payor spouse makes a single, upfront payment to the recipient spouse in lieu of ongoing periodic payments of spousal support in final settlement of future spousal support obligations.
COLA
Also known as cost of living adjustment, a periodic increase in financial support, such as alimony or child support, to account for changes in the cost of living, typically based on inflation or other economic factors.
Modification
The process of changing or adjusting spousal support orders based on changes in financial status, employment, or other relevant factors of either spouse.
