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Home/Practice areas/Spousal support

Toronto Spousal Support Lawyer

Understand your rights and obligations — entitlement, amount, duration and variation.

Spousal support is the most discretionary area of family law. Entitlement comes first, then amount and duration — and each stage turns on the facts of your marriage rather than a simple formula.

We advise both payors and recipients, and we are candid about ranges and risk so you can make decisions with realistic expectations.

What we handle

  • Entitlement: compensatory, contractual and needs-based
  • Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines ranges
  • Duration and review conditions
  • Lump sum versus periodic support
  • Variation on material change
  • Termination and retirement

How we work

We begin with a free consultation to understand your situation and give you an honest read on your options. From there we set a strategy with defined goals, a realistic timeline, and a transparent view of cost. You will always know what is happening in your matter and why.

Most matters resolve without a trial. We negotiate hard where negotiation will work, use mediation or arbitration where it fits, and litigate decisively where the other side will not engage in good faith.

Answers

Frequently asked questions

Am I entitled to spousal support?
Entitlement is not automatic. It arises where there is a contract, where one spouse suffered an economic disadvantage from the marriage or its breakdown, or where there is need paired with the other spouse's ability to pay. Length of marriage and roles during it matter significantly.
How much spousal support will I pay or receive?
The Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines produce a range rather than a fixed number, based on incomes, length of cohabitation and whether child support is also payable. The Guidelines are advisory, not binding, and where you land within the range is negotiable.
How long does spousal support last?
For marriages under twenty years, a common range is between half a year and one year of support for each year of cohabitation. After twenty years, or where years of marriage plus the recipient's age total 65 or more, support may be indefinite — which means without a fixed end date, not forever.
Can spousal support be changed later?
Yes, on a material change in circumstances such as job loss, serious illness, retirement, or the recipient's re-partnering. Agreements can also build in review dates. Well-drafted terms reduce the chance of returning to court.
Free consultation

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Confidential, free, and in your language — English or Farsi. Clear answers before you commit to anything.

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