Alimony is controlled under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 208 – 34, “In determining the amount of alimony, if any, to be paid, or in fixing the nature and value of the property, if any, to be so assigned, the court, after hearing the witnesses, if any, of each party, shall consider the length of the marriage, the conduct of the parties during the marriage, the age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities and needs of each of the parties and the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income”.
Spousal support is determined on an equitable and discretionary basis by the Court. Unlike child support, which can be calculated using the Massachusetts child support guidelines, it is difficult to predict what a Court may order for spousal support. Parker Mediation believes that parties are able to make their own decisions when it comes to alimony. By collecting financial information the parties are able to determine what each spouse needs and what resources are available to meet those needs.
In some cases the mediator may recommend a consultation with an accountant or tax advisor, as spousal support does have tax consequences.
The Massachusetts divorce mediators at Parker Mediation provide professional mediation services to individuals and families throughout Massachusetts with offices serving Worcester County, Central Massachusetts, Boston metro-west, and Cape Cod and the Islands.
The family and divorce mediators in our Worcester, MA office serve the Central Massachusetts and Boston metro-west communities such as Clinton, Framingham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Marlborough, Millbury, Shrewsbury, Sutton, Westborough and Worcester, Massachusetts.
Parker Mediation in Cape Cod serves the local communities of Barnstable, Chatham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Mashpee, Provincetown and the entire Cape and the Islands.
