In September of 2022, the Arizona Legislature amended A.R.S. § 25-319, regarding spousal maintenance orders. Shortly after its approval by the Governor of Arizona, the Arizona Supreme Court established the Family Court Improvement Committee - Spousal Maintenance Guidelines Subcommittee (FCIC-SMGS) by Administrative Order No. 2022-83 to recommend statewide spousal maintenance guidelines.
The result is that the Spousal Maintenance Guidelines (SMG) were adopted by Administrative Order 2023-119, effective July 10, 2023. That means that any case filed on or after September 24th, 2022, that involves the issue of Spousal Maintenance, is subject to the Arizona Spousal Maintenance Guidelines. Much like Arizona Child Support Guidelines, the Arizona Spousal Maintenance Guidelines adopted a spousal maintenance calculator that is consistent with the current law which states that spousal maintenance should be “only for a period of time and in an amount necessary to enable the receiving spouse to become self-sufficient.”
Purpose of the New Arizona Spousal Maintenance Guidelines
The purposes of the new guidelines are to:
- Allow the requesting spouse to become self-sufficient;
- Achieve consistency and predictability in awards for persons in similar circumstances;
- Provide guidance in establishing spousal maintenance awards
- Promote settlements.
Legal Insights from Edwards & Petersen, PLC
The attorneys at Edwards & Petersen, PLC are your Mesa Family Law Attorneys who stand ready to discuss the impact of the new Arizona Spousal Maintenance Guidelines with you and how they relate to your situation.
Give our office a call today to schedule your free 30-minute consultation to discuss your situation and how the new guidelines might impact your situation.