[fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” align_content=”stretch” flex_align_items=”flex-start” flex_justify_content=”flex-start” flex_wrap=”wrap” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” container_tag=”div” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” margin_top=”80px” border_style=”solid” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” pattern_bg=”none” pattern_bg_style=”default” pattern_bg_opacity=”100″ pattern_bg_blend_mode=”normal” mask_bg=”none” mask_bg_style=”default” mask_bg_opacity=”100″ mask_bg_transform=”left” mask_bg_blend_mode=”normal” absolute=”off” absolute_devices=”small,medium,large” sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_transition_offset=”0″ scroll_offset=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” valign_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” center_content=”no” column_tag=”div” target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ hover_type=”none” border_style=”solid” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ background_type=”single” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ lazy_load=”none” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” absolute=”off” filter_type=”regular” filter_hover_element=”self” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ transform_type=”regular” transform_hover_element=”self” transform_scale_x=”1″ transform_scale_y=”1″ transform_translate_x=”0″ transform_translate_y=”0″ transform_rotate=”0″ transform_skew_x=”0″ transform_skew_y=”0″ transform_scale_x_hover=”1″ transform_scale_y_hover=”1″ transform_translate_x_hover=”0″ transform_translate_y_hover=”0″ transform_rotate_hover=”0″ transform_skew_x_hover=”0″ transform_skew_y_hover=”0″ transition_duration=”300″ transition_easing=”ease” scroll_motion_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hue=”” saturation=”” lightness=”” alpha=”” user_select=”” awb-switch-editor-focus=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”left” content_alignment=”left” disable_idd=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” html_attributes=”W10=” width_medium=”” width_small=”” width=”” min_width_medium=”” min_width_small=”” min_width=”” max_width_medium=”” max_width_small=”” max_width=”” margin_top_medium=”” margin_right_medium=”” margin_bottom_medium=”” margin_left_medium=”” margin_top_small=”” margin_right_small=”” margin_bottom_small=”” margin_left_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” fusion_font_family_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_text_font=”” font_size=”16px” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_transform=”” text_color=”var(–awb-color6)” render_logics=”” logics=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=””]
The most difficult sentence you might say in your New York divorce negotiations is: “We need to talk about spousal maintenance.” You’re discussing money with someone you once loved, someone who is now the co-parent of your children. The stakes feel impossibly high because this conversation could either pave the way for functional co-parenting or create wounds that never heal.
I know this from both sides. As a mediator, I’ve sat with countless couples at this crossroads. But I also know it as a child of divorce. When I was fifteen, I lost contact with my father after my parents’ contentious divorce. The adversarial process didn’t just divide their assets—it destroyed their ability to co-parent and cost me a relationship with my dad. That experience is why I founded Equitable Mediation Services: to help families avoid the damage that litigation inflicts on co-parenting relationships.
How you have this conversation matters as much as what you ultimately decide. The couples who navigate this successfully have a different approach to the conversation itself—one that litigation actively undermines.
Why Litigation Makes This Conversation Toxic
When you’re discussing spousal maintenance in New York, you’re not just talking about formulas and income caps. You’re talking about fairness, sacrifice, value, and worth. You’re talking about fear—financial insecurity on one side and fear of being taken advantage of on the other.
For co-parents, there’s additional complexity. Every harsh word, every accusation, every moment of contempt becomes part of the foundation of your co-parenting relationship. The person you’re calling selfish today is the same person you’ll need to communicate with about your child’s school performance next month.
The traditional adversarial approach is particularly damaging for co-parents. When attorneys position maintenance as a battle to be won, they’re teaching you to see your co-parent as an opponent. That mindset might help you fight harder in the short term, but it makes successful co-parenting nearly impossible. I watched this happen with my own parents. Once the attorneys got involved, every conversation became a fight. By the time their divorce was final, they couldn’t speak civilly to each other—and that hostility cost me my relationship with my father.
The First Principle: Separate Positions from Interests
In my training at Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, I learned a distinction that transforms difficult conversations: the difference between positions and interests. Your position is what you say you want. Your interest is what you want.
One spouse might take the position: “I need $4,000 per month for five years.” The other: “I’ll pay $1,500 for two years, maximum.” These positions feel mutually exclusive.
But underneath are interests. The spouse requesting maintenance might need housing stability for the children, time to complete a degree, or recognition of homemaker contributions. The spouse facing payments might need to maintain a home where children can visit, or worry about inflexible payment terms.
When you shift from positions to interests, you stop debating numbers and start problem-solving. The requesting spouse might not need $4,000 monthly—they need $2,000 plus a plan to complete a nursing degree. The paying spouse might not oppose support—they’re worried about inflexibility.
We guide couples through this reframing by asking, “What would this maintenance allow you to do?” What concerns do you have? What does fairness look like here? These questions move from demands to dialogue.
Reframing Maintenance as a Shared Problem
One of the most powerful strategies from my training is reframing. Instead of treating maintenance as something one person takes from the other, successful co-parents frame it as a shared problem requiring a shared solution.
The shared problem becomes: “How do we ensure both of us can maintain stable homes for our children while acknowledging the financial realities of supporting two households?” Notice how different this feels from “How much do I have to pay you?”
This reframing changes the fundamental dynamic. When maintenance is a shared problem, you’re both on the same side of the table. You become collaborators rather than adversaries. This shift is essential for co-parents because it establishes collaborative problem-solving that will serve you in every future co-parenting decision.
New York’s maintenance guidelines actually support this approach. The state provides formulas—currently using a $228,000 income cap and duration ranges based on marriage length—but explicitly allows deviation when appropriate. This flexibility enables couples to work together toward solutions that make sense for their circumstances.
Having Honest Conversations About Needs and Capabilities
The maintenance conversation requires vulnerable honesty. The person seeking maintenance must be honest about financial needs without shame. The person paying must be honest about capabilities without guilt or resentment.
During my training at Northwestern, I learned about “transparent disclosure”—the idea that in relationship-preserving negotiations, clarity creates better long-term outcomes than strategic ambiguity.
We create space for these conversations by establishing ground rules that prevent information from being weaponized. We discuss financial capabilities separately from what anyone “deserves.” We focus on the present and future rather than litigating the past.
The Mediation Process: Creating Structure for Difficult Conversations
Maintenance conversations often go badly because couples try having them in unstructured ways—late-night texts, kitchen arguments, tense parking lot discussions. The mediation process provides a structure that makes difficult conversations possible.
We use interest-based negotiation to dig beneath positions. Rather than starting with numbers, we start with understanding: What’s most important to each of you? What concerns keep you up at night?
We engage in “reality-testing” of assumptions. People arrive with untested beliefs that we examine together using actual data and scenarios. This isn’t about proving someone wrong—it’s about working from the same accurate information.
Most importantly, mediation encourages generating multiple options before committing to solutions. Instead of negotiating between $4,000 and $1,500, we explore: What if maintenance decreases over time? What if we structure it for specific expenses? What if we combine it with unequal property division? What if we include regular check-ins?
By generating options together, you’re not just compromising—you’re creating solutions neither would have come up with on their own. And because you created them together, both of you have ownership.
The Long Game: Maintenance as Co-Parenting Practice
How you negotiate maintenance is practice for co-parenting. If you can discuss money without contempt, listen to concerns, acknowledge different perspectives, and problem-solve together, you’re building skills you’ll use in every co-parenting decision ahead.
Your children are watching. They’re noticing whether you speak respectfully about their other parent. They’re absorbing whether conflicts escalate or resolve. They’re learning what it looks like to handle disagreements. The maintenance conversation is your first opportunity to show them—and yourselves—that you can be divorced partners who still treat each other with dignity.
I wish my parents had been given that opportunity. Instead, the adversarial process taught them to see each other as enemies. That hostility didn’t end when the divorce was final—it became the foundation of their inability to co-parent. That’s what I’m committed to helping you avoid.
This doesn’t mean it will be easy. It means committing to having the conversation in a way that makes future conversations possible. It means pausing when you feel the urge to say something cutting. It means acknowledging when you’re not ready to continue productively.
Choosing the Path That Preserves What Matters Most
The maintenance conversation doesn’t have to destroy your co-parenting relationship. With the right approach, it can strengthen it by establishing that you can work through complex issues together. The key is treating it as problem-solving rather than a battle, focusing on interests rather than positions, and committing to honesty and respect even when it’s hard.
Couples who approach these conversations collaboratively consistently report better long-term co-parenting relationships and greater satisfaction with their agreements than those who fight through attorneys. They’re not just reaching better financial agreements—they’re preserving the ability to co-parent effectively.
This is personal for me. I’ve spent nearly twenty years as a mediator helping families find peaceful paths through divorce, specifically because I know the damage that adversarial divorce inflicts on children. My parents’ litigated divorce didn’t just cost them their relationship—it cost me mine with my father. That’s why I’m committed to offering couples a different path.
How you have this conversation matters. Choose collaboration over combat, understanding over ultimatums, and problem-solving over point-scoring. Your future co-parenting relationship—and your children’s wellbeing—depends on it. That’s not just my professional opinion. It’s my lived experience.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” valign_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” center_content=”no” column_tag=”div” target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ margin_top=”60px” margin_bottom=”60px” hover_type=”none” border_style=”solid” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ background_type=”single” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ lazy_load=”none” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” absolute=”off” filter_type=”regular” filter_hover_element=”self” filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ transform_type=”regular” transform_hover_element=”self” transform_scale_x_hover=”1″ transform_scale_y_hover=”1″ transform_translate_x_hover=”0″ transform_translate_y_hover=”0″ transform_rotate_hover=”0″ transform_skew_x_hover=”0″ transform_skew_y_hover=”0″ transform_scale_x=”1″ transform_scale_y=”1″ transform_translate_x=”0″ transform_translate_y=”0″ transform_rotate=”0″ transform_skew_x=”0″ transform_skew_y=”0″ transition_duration=”300″ transition_easing=”ease” motion_effects=”W10=” scroll_motion_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_builder_row_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” valign_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” center_content=”no” column_tag=”div” target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ padding_top=”50px” padding_right=”20px” padding_bottom=”50px” padding_left=”20px” hover_type=”none” border_style=”solid” border_radius_top_left=”30px” border_radius_top_right=”30px” border_radius_bottom_right=”30px” border_radius_bottom_left=”30px” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ background_type=”single” background_color=”#f4f3ef” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ lazy_load=”none” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” absolute=”off” filter_type=”regular” filter_hover_element=”self” filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ transform_type=”regular” transform_hover_element=”self” transform_scale_x_hover=”1″ transform_scale_y_hover=”1″ transform_translate_x_hover=”0″ transform_translate_y_hover=”0″ transform_rotate_hover=”0″ transform_skew_x_hover=”0″ transform_skew_y_hover=”0″ transform_scale_x=”1″ transform_scale_y=”1″ transform_translate_x=”0″ transform_translate_y=”0″ transform_rotate=”0″ transform_skew_x=”0″ transform_skew_y=”0″ transition_duration=”300″ transition_easing=”ease” motion_effects=”W10=” scroll_motion_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][/fusion_builder_column_inner][/fusion_builder_row_inner][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” align_content=”stretch” flex_align_items=”flex-start” flex_justify_content=”flex-start” flex_wrap=”wrap” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” container_tag=”div” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” padding_bottom_medium=”50px” padding_bottom_small=”30px” padding_top=”100px” padding_bottom=”100px” border_style=”solid” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” pattern_bg=”none” pattern_bg_style=”default” pattern_bg_opacity=”100″ pattern_bg_blend_mode=”normal” mask_bg=”none” mask_bg_style=”default” mask_bg_opacity=”100″ mask_bg_transform=”left” mask_bg_blend_mode=”normal” absolute=”off” absolute_devices=”small,medium,large” sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_transition_offset=”0″ scroll_offset=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ admin_label=”FAQ” admin_toggled=”no”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” valign_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” center_content=”no” column_tag=”div” target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ hover_type=”none” border_style=”solid” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ background_type=”single” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ lazy_load=”none” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” absolute=”off” filter_type=”regular” filter_hover_element=”self” filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ transform_type=”regular” transform_hover_element=”self” transform_scale_x_hover=”1″ transform_scale_y_hover=”1″ transform_translate_x_hover=”0″ transform_translate_y_hover=”0″ transform_rotate_hover=”0″ transform_skew_x_hover=”0″ transform_skew_y_hover=”0″ transform_scale_x=”1″ transform_scale_y=”1″ transform_translate_x=”0″ transform_translate_y=”0″ transform_rotate=”0″ transform_skew_x=”0″ transform_skew_y=”0″ transition_duration=”300″ transition_easing=”ease” motion_effects=”W10=” scroll_motion_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_title title_type=”text” scroll_reveal_effect=”color_change” scroll_reveal_basis=”chars” scroll_reveal_behavior=”always” scroll_reveal_duration=”500″ scroll_reveal_stagger=”200″ scroll_reveal_delay=”0″ scroll_reveal_above_fold=”yes” marquee_direction=”left” marquee_mask_edges=”no” marquee_speed=”15000″ rotation_effect=”bounceIn” display_time=”1200″ highlight_effect=”circle” loop_animation=”once” highlight_animation_duration=”1500″ highlight_width=”9″ highlight_smudge_effect=”no” highlight_top_margin=”0″ title_link=”off” link_target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” content_align_small=”left” content_align=”left” size=”2″ font_size=”38px” text_color=”var(–awb-color4)” text_shadow=”no” text_shadow_blur=”0″ text_stroke=”no” text_stroke_size=”1″ text_overflow=”none” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”60px” gradient_font=”no” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ style_type=”default” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”static” animation_speed=”1.0″ animation_delay=”0.5″]
FAQs About Spousal Maintenance in New York
[/fusion_title][fusion_accordion type=”toggles” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” boxed_mode=”yes” border_size=”2″ border_color=”#d8e8f2″ hover_color=”#f4f3ef” padding_top=”10px” padding_right=”5px” padding_bottom=”10px” padding_left=”5px” title_tag=”h4″ fusion_font_family_title_font=”Poppins” fusion_font_variant_title_font=”600″ title_font_size=”18px” title_color=”var(–awb-color6)” icon_size=”25px” icon_color=”#d8e8f2″ icon_boxed_mode=”no” icon_box_color=”#d8e8f2″ icon_alignment=”right” content_font_size=”16px” content_color=”var(–awb-color6)” toggle_hover_accent_color=”var(–awb-color6)” toggle_active_accent_color=”var(–awb-color6)”][fusion_toggle title=”1. What is spousal maintenance in New York and how is it different from alimony?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]Spousal maintenance is the current legal term in New York for financial support that one spouse pays to another during or after divorce. “Alimony” is an older term replaced in New York law years ago. The purpose is to help the financially dependent spouse meet reasonable needs and become self-supporting.
In mediation, we discuss maintenance as part of your overall financial planning rather than as something imposed by external rules. Understanding that maintenance serves as a bridge to financial independence helps frame productive conversations about what makes sense for your specific situation.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”2. What are the different types of spousal maintenance available in New York?” open=”no” awb-switch-editor-focus=”New York recognizes three types: informal spousal support during separation, temporary maintenance paid during the divorce process, and post-divorce maintenance paid after finalization. Temporary maintenance helps maintain financial stability while the divorce proceeds, while post-divorce maintenance facilitates the transition to financial independence. Receiving temporary maintenance doesn’t automatically guarantee post-divorce maintenance. In mediation, we help you structure the transition between phases using step-down provisions or rehabilitative plans that align with realistic timelines. This integrated approach works better than treating phases separately, which often happens in litigation.” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]New York recognizes three types: informal spousal support during separation, temporary maintenance paid during the divorce process, and post-divorce maintenance paid after finalization.
Temporary maintenance helps maintain financial stability while the divorce proceeds, while post-divorce maintenance facilitates the transition to financial independence. Receiving temporary maintenance doesn’t automatically guarantee post-divorce maintenance.
In mediation, we help you structure the transition between phases using step-down provisions or rehabilitative plans that align with realistic timelines. This integrated approach works better than treating phases separately, which often happens in litigation.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”3. How is spousal maintenance calculated in New York?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]
New York uses statutory formulas that consider both spouses’ incomes and whether child support is involved. Without child support, the formula subtracts 20% of the receiving spouse’s income from 30% of the paying spouse’s income. With child support, it subtracts 25% of the receiving spouse’s income from 20% of the paying spouse’s income. There’s also a check calculation: 40% of combined income minus the receiving spouse’s income. The lower result generally serves as the guideline amount.
As of 2025, the formula applies to income up to $228,000. For income above that cap, how New York approaches maintenance becomes more discretionary, based on factors like standard of living during the marriage, earning capacity, career sacrifices, and health conditions.
While these formulas provide a starting point, they often produce results that don’t match real-world circumstances. In mediation, we calculate what the guidelines would produce, then explore whether that makes sense for your situation or whether creative alternatives might work better. With an MBA in finance, we can model different scenarios, show you tax implications, and help you understand long-term financial impact. This rigorous financial analysis goes well beyond simply plugging numbers into a formula.
[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”4. How long does spousal maintenance last in New York?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]How New York approaches duration depends on marriage length. For 0-15 year marriages, maintenance typically ranges from 15-30% of the marriage length. For 15-20 year marriages, it’s 30-40%. For marriages over 20 years, it’s 35-50%.
These are ranges, not fixed rules. A twelve-year marriage might result in maintenance for roughly 2-4 years, depending on factors like age, employability, and career sacrifices. Maintenance typically ends when either spouse dies or when the receiving spouse remarries.
In mediation, we model different duration scenarios and their long-term impacts. We help you think through whether standard ranges make sense or whether step-down provisions or review mechanisms would work better.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”5. Who qualifies for spousal maintenance in New York?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]
Qualification requires demonstrating financial need—meaning you lack sufficient income or assets to meet reasonable expenses—while the other spouse has the financial ability to provide support. If both spouses earn similar incomes and have comparable resources, maintenance is unlikely.
How New York evaluates eligibility involves examining income disparity, particularly where one spouse sacrificed career opportunities to support the family. The requesting spouse’s employability skills and realistic earning potential matter. A spouse’s role as homemaker or support system for the higher-earning spouse’s career is relevant.
In mediation, we examine actual earning capacity, career timelines, and financial needs with specificity rather than making worst-case or best-case assumptions.
[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”6. What factors does New York consider when determining spousal maintenance?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]
How New York approaches maintenance involves thirteen statutory factors: age and health of both parties, earning capacity, need for education or training expenses, wasteful dissipation of marital property, domestic violence that inhibited earning capacity, medical insurance availability and cost, care of children, reduced lifetime earning capacity due to forgone career opportunities, pre-marital joint household duration, contributions to the marriage, property distribution, tax consequences, and other relevant factors.
In litigation, attorneys argue about how these factors apply. In mediation, we work through them together to build shared understanding and structure maintenance that acknowledges what’s most important to both of you.
[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”7. Is spousal maintenance automatic in New York divorces?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]
No, maintenance is not automatic. Unlike child support which is mandatory when children are involved, maintenance is based on specific financial circumstances.
In litigation, someone petitions for maintenance and makes arguments about why it should be awarded. In mediation, you can have open conversations about whether maintenance makes sense, how much, and for how long, without adversarial positioning. You can negotiate your own arrangement as part of a comprehensive settlement that considers property division, tax planning, and your long-term goals together.
This flexibility is one of mediation’s most valuable advantages.
[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”8. What are the tax implications of spousal maintenance in New York?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]
For divorces finalized after January 1, 2019, federal tax law changed significantly: the paying spouse can no longer deduct maintenance payments, and the receiving spouse doesn’t report them as income on federal returns. However, New York state tax law didn’t change—maintenance payments remain deductible for the paying spouse and taxable to the receiving spouse on state returns.
This creates a split where you must file federal and state taxes differently regarding maintenance. The federal tax law change eliminated what had been a significant incentive for higher maintenance amounts, as payors could previously reduce their taxable income through these deductions.
This tax complexity is exactly where financial expertise makes a critical difference. Understanding the actual after-tax cost and benefit requires sophisticated modeling that most people—and many mediators—aren’t equipped to do. With an MBA in finance, we can model the tax impact accurately, show you side-by-side scenarios, and help you structure maintenance in ways that maximize the benefit to both parties when tax treatment is considered. This kind of analysis can reveal opportunities for structuring agreements that litigation simply doesn’t accommodate.
[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”9. Can spousal maintenance be paid as a lump sum instead of monthly payments?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]
Yes, lump-sum maintenance is possible. Rather than monthly payments over time, one spouse provides the full maintenance amount upfront.
This works when the paying spouse has sufficient liquid assets and values finality. For the receiving spouse, benefits include immediate access to funds and no concerns about future ability or willingness to pay. However, recipients lose flexibility since lump-sum payments typically can’t be modified.
Evaluating whether lump-sum maintenance makes sense requires rigorous financial analysis: calculating present value of payment streams, assessing liquidity and tax implications, and understanding opportunity costs. This is where financial expertise matters significantly.
[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”10. What is the income cap for calculating spousal maintenance in New York?” open=”no” title_color=”var(–awb-color8)” content_color=”var(–awb-color8)”]As of 2025, New York’s statutory formula applies to income up to $228,000. For income above that cap, how maintenance is determined becomes more discretionary based on factors like standard of living during the marriage, financial needs, and ability to maintain reasonable needs while providing support.
When you’re dealing with income above the cap, financial sophistication becomes essential. Rather than a simple formula, you’re negotiating based on complex factors, often involving variable compensation like bonuses, stock options, or business income. In mediation with financial expertise, we can analyze these complex structures, model different scenarios, and help you structure agreements that make financial sense.[/fusion_toggle][/fusion_accordion][fusion_text disable_idd=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″]
The Mediation Advantage for Maintenance Discussions
Throughout these FAQs, you’ve seen references to mediation as an alternative to litigation. In litigation, attorneys fight over what guidelines produce and argue about how factors apply. You’re spending tens of thousands on adversarial processes that often produce outcomes neither party accepts. For co-parents, this poisons the relationship foundation you need for years ahead.
In mediation, you’re working together to understand what the guidelines say, whether they fit your circumstances, and what alternatives might work better. When you combine that collaborative process with genuine financial expertise—the ability to model scenarios, calculate present values, analyze tax impacts, and structure creative solutions—you get agreements that are both fair and sustainable.
That’s what makes the difference between maintenance arrangements that work and ones that create ongoing conflict.
[/fusion_text][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” align_content=”stretch” flex_align_items=”flex-start” flex_justify_content=”flex-start” flex_wrap=”wrap” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” container_tag=”div” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” padding_top=”50px” border_style=”solid” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” pattern_bg=”none” pattern_bg_style=”default” pattern_bg_opacity=”100″ pattern_bg_blend_mode=”normal” mask_bg=”none” mask_bg_style=”default” mask_bg_opacity=”100″ mask_bg_transform=”left” mask_bg_blend_mode=”normal” absolute=”off” absolute_devices=”small,medium,large” sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_transition_offset=”0″ scroll_offset=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ admin_label=”Call to Action” admin_toggled=”yes”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”60.00″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” valign_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” center_content=”no” column_tag=”div” target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ hover_type=”none” border_style=”solid” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ background_type=”single” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ lazy_load=”none” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” absolute=”off” filter_type=”regular” filter_hover_element=”self” filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ transform_type=”regular” transform_hover_element=”self” transform_scale_x_hover=”1″ transform_scale_y_hover=”1″ transform_translate_x_hover=”0″ transform_translate_y_hover=”0″ transform_rotate_hover=”0″ transform_skew_x_hover=”0″ transform_skew_y_hover=”0″ transform_scale_x=”1″ transform_scale_y=”1″ transform_translate_x=”0″ transform_translate_y=”0″ transform_rotate=”0″ transform_skew_x=”0″ transform_skew_y=”0″ transition_duration=”300″ transition_easing=”ease” motion_effects=”W10=” scroll_motion_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_builder_row_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” valign_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” center_content=”no” column_tag=”div” target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ padding_top=”50px” padding_right=”20px” padding_bottom=”50px” padding_left=”20px” hover_type=”none” border_style=”solid” border_radius_top_left=”30px” border_radius_top_right=”30px” border_radius_bottom_right=”30px” border_radius_bottom_left=”30px” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ background_type=”single” background_color=”#d8e8f2″ gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ lazy_load=”none” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” absolute=”off” filter_type=”regular” filter_hover_element=”self” filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ transform_type=”regular” transform_hover_element=”self” transform_scale_x_hover=”1″ transform_scale_y_hover=”1″ transform_translate_x_hover=”0″ transform_translate_y_hover=”0″ transform_rotate_hover=”0″ transform_skew_x_hover=”0″ transform_skew_y_hover=”0″ transform_scale_x=”1″ transform_scale_y=”1″ transform_translate_x=”0″ transform_translate_y=”0″ transform_rotate=”0″ transform_skew_x=”0″ transform_skew_y=”0″ transition_duration=”300″ transition_easing=”ease” motion_effects=”W10=” scroll_motion_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_title title_type=”text” scroll_reveal_effect=”color_change” scroll_reveal_basis=”chars” scroll_reveal_behavior=”always” scroll_reveal_duration=”500″ scroll_reveal_stagger=”200″ scroll_reveal_delay=”0″ scroll_reveal_above_fold=”yes” marquee_direction=”left” marquee_mask_edges=”no” marquee_speed=”15000″ rotation_effect=”bounceIn” display_time=”1200″ highlight_effect=”circle” loop_animation=”once” highlight_animation_duration=”1500″ highlight_width=”9″ highlight_smudge_effect=”no” highlight_top_margin=”0″ title_link=”off” link_target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” content_align_small=”center” content_align=”center” size=”2″ font_size=”38px” text_color=”var(–awb-color4)” text_shadow=”no” text_shadow_blur=”0″ text_stroke=”no” text_stroke_size=”1″ text_overflow=”none” margin_top=”0px” gradient_font=”no” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ style_type=”default” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”static” animation_speed=”1.0″ animation_delay=”0.5″]
Lay the groundwork for a peaceful divorce
[/fusion_title][fusion_button link=”/tag/courses-kits” enable_hover_text_icon=”no” title=”Explore Courses” target=”_self” aria_role_button=”0″ alignment=”center” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”btn-style-blue” color=”custom” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”var(–awb-color4)” button_gradient_top_color=”var(–awb-custom_color_2)” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”var(–awb-color4)” button_gradient_bottom_color=”var(–awb-color4)” linear_angle=”180″ accent_color=”var(–awb-color5)” border_top=”2px” border_right=”2px” border_bottom=”2px” border_left=”2px” border_radius_top_left=”30px” border_radius_top_right=”30px” border_radius_bottom_right=”30px” border_radius_bottom_left=”30px” border_hover_color=”var(–awb-color5)” border_color=”var(–awb-color5)” size=”large” fusion_font_family_button_font=”Poppins” fusion_font_variant_button_font=”700″ font_size=”16px” stretch=”default” margin_top=”22px” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” hover_transition=”none” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”static” animation_speed=”1.0″ animation_delay=”0.5″]Explore Courses[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column_inner][/fusion_builder_row_inner][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_global id=”2082″]