If you’re entering a second or third marriage that’s now ending, you’re facing financial complexity that first marriages never encounter. You’re already paying child support or maintenance to someone from a prior relationship, and now you’re trying to figure out what that means for maintenance calculations in your current divorce.

Illinois handles these situations differently from straightforward cases. Understanding how prior support obligations affect your maintenance calculation helps you navigate these blended family situations with clear expectations.

The Threshold Question: Guidelines Don’t Automatically Apply

If you’re paying child support or maintenance from a prior relationship, Illinois’s guideline maintenance formula doesn’t automatically apply to your current divorce.

The guidelines typically apply when two conditions are met: combined gross annual income of $500,000 or less AND the paying spouse has no obligation to pay support from a prior relationship. If either condition isn’t met, you’re looking at non-guideline analysis.

This doesn’t mean you can’t use a formula-based approach. It means the guideline formula isn’t presumptively applied. Prior support obligations affect your actual capacity to pay maintenance in ways the simple formula doesn’t capture.

How Prior Obligations Affect Your Available Income

Financial analysis of Illinois maintenance showing how prior child support and existing support obligations reduce available net income before calculating new spousal maintenance.

When calculating net income in Illinois, you can deduct child support or maintenance you actually pay pursuant to a court order before determining what’s available for current maintenance.

Let’s say your gross income is $150,000 annually. You pay $30,000 per year in child support to children from a previous marriage. When calculating your net income, that $30,000 obligation matters a great deal.

Your current spouse might look at your $150,000 gross and think you have substantial capacity. But $30,000 is already spoken for.

The Non-Guideline Analysis: What Gets Considered

When prior obligations push you into non-guideline territory, Illinois maintenance discussions consider comprehensive factors including both spouses’ income and property, their needs, their realistic earning capacity, any impairments to earning capacity, the time necessary for the receiving spouse to gain education or training, the standard of living during the marriage, and all financial obligations imposed on both parties.

That last factor—financial obligations—is where your prior support commitments get directly considered. You’re asking, “Given all the financial realities facing both of us, what maintenance amount and duration makes sense?”

This individualized analysis can actually work to your advantage. Rather than being locked into a formula that doesn’t account for prior obligations, you can present a complete financial picture showing what you realistically have available.

The Fifty Percent Combined Obligation Cap

If applying the guideline results in combined maintenance and child support obligations exceeding 50% of your net income, non-guideline analysis may be used instead.

This 50% limitation prevents you from being stretched so thin that you can’t sustain your obligations. Let’s say your net income is $100,000. The guideline formula would produce $20,000 in maintenance. You also pay $35,000 in child support. Combined, that’s $55,000—fifty-five percent of your net income.

The combined obligations exceed the 50% threshold, opening up flexibility in how maintenance gets determined.

Documentation: Proving Your Prior Obligations

When prior support obligations affect your maintenance calculation, documentation becomes essential. You need to demonstrate not just that you have these obligations, but that you’re actually paying them.

The focus is on obligations “actually paid pursuant to a court order.” This means you need the original court order establishing the support amount and, ideally, documentation of your consistent payment history.

Gather your court orders for any prior child support or maintenance obligations. Pull payment records showing your compliance. If payments are made through wage withholding, get documentation from your employer. If you pay directly, keep cancelled checks or electronic payment confirmations.

This documentation serves two purposes. First, it supports the deduction from your income for calculating what’s available for current maintenance. Second, it demonstrates that you’re honoring your commitments to prior families, which speaks to your reliability in meeting future obligations.

The First Family First Reality

In Illinois, your obligation to support children from a prior relationship doesn’t disappear because you’ve taken on new family obligations. Prior family commitments continue regardless.

This affects negotiations in essential ways. The money going to those prior obligations isn’t negotiable. What is negotiable is how to structure maintenance given the reality of these prior claims on income.

Why Non-Guideline Status Actually Creates Opportunity

Illinois non-guideline maintenance planning illustrating flexible negotiation options such as step-down support, customized payment structures, and cash flow-based spousal maintenance solutions.

Many people hear “non-guideline” and assume that means less favorable. In reality, non-guideline analysis can offer opportunities that the rigid guideline formula doesn’t.

With non-guideline maintenance, you can present a complete financial picture showing actual cash flow after all obligations. You can negotiate creative structures – maybe maintenance that decreases over time as prior child support obligations terminate, or maintenance tied to specific goals.

The guideline formula produces one answer. Non-guideline analysis opens the door to solutions tailored to your actual circumstances.

How Mediation Handles These Complex Situations

Comprehensive Illinois maintenance mediation analysis mapping total household income, prior family obligations, and actual cash flow to determine sustainable spousal support.

In mediation, prior support obligations don’t have to create conflict—they’re simply facts to incorporate into your planning.

We start by mapping your complete financial picture. All income sources for both spouses. All existing obligations to prior families. Is any child support flowing between you? The resulting picture shows what’s actually available for maintenance.

Then we work through what makes sense given these realities. The key is transparency. When both spouses see the complete financial picture—documented and verified—you can work together toward solutions that acknowledge all the competing obligations.

We can model different scenarios. What happens when child support for the prior family terminates in five years? How might maintenance adjust to these predictable changes?

Planning for Future Changes

Prior support obligations have an essential characteristic: many of them eventually terminate. Child support ends when children age out. Maintenance from a prior relationship might have a scheduled termination date.

In mediation, you can structure maintenance agreements that account for these anticipated changes. Maybe maintenance is set at one level while prior child support continues, then steps up to a higher level once that obligation ends and more income becomes available.

Or perhaps maintenance is reviewable at the time prior obligations terminate, with both spouses agreeing to revisit the amount based on changed financial circumstances.

These provisions acknowledge reality: your financial capacity isn’t static. It shifts as obligations terminate, income changes, and circumstances evolve.

Moving Forward With Complex Family Finances

Prior support obligations complicate Illinois maintenance calculations, but they don’t make fair resolutions impossible. They require more sophisticated analysis than the straightforward guideline formula provides.

Understanding that prior obligations may take you out of automatic application of the guidelines helps you approach negotiations with realistic expectations. Knowing that these obligations get deducted from available income for calculating support helps you present an accurate financial picture. Recognizing that non-guideline analysis provides flexibility helps you see opportunity rather than just uncertainty. It’s also helpful to understand how the 40% income cap in Illinois maintenance calculations may affect the final support amount.

In mediation, these complex financial situations get untangled through careful analysis, transparent documentation, and collaborative problem-solving. Rather than fighting about whether prior families should claim your resources, you work together to structure maintenance that acknowledges all the obligations and constraints while still providing appropriate support for your transition.

The financial complexity of blended families requires expertise to navigate well. But with that expertise and a commitment to working cooperatively, you can reach agreements that serve everyone’s interests—current spouse, prior families, and children from all relationships.

“You may have researched how alimony works in your state. But in my experience, regardless of whether a state offers guidance on how to resolve alimony, often, couples negotiate their own agreement tailored to their unique situation and circumstances.

So you have a lot of flexibility and can maintain a lot of control if you negotiate the terms of alimony out of court with the help of a skilled professional using an alternative dispute resolution process like divorce mediation or a collaborative divorce .

You and your soon-to-be ex-spouse will more likely come to an alimony arrangement that's acceptable to both of you."

Joe Dillon headshot

Joe Dillon | Divorce Mediator & Founder

FAQs About Illinois Maintenance (Alimony)

Maintenance is Illinois’ legal term for spousal support payments made from one spouse to another during or after divorce. While many people use the terms “alimony” and “spousal support” interchangeably, Illinois statutes specifically refer to these payments as “maintenance” under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5/504). The terminology changed officially, though all three terms describe the same concept – financial support paid by one spouse to help the other maintain a reasonable standard of living after divorce.

The purpose of maintenance in Illinois is not to punish one spouse or enrich the other, but rather to help preserve the standard of living established during the marriage and minimize the economic impact of divorce on the spouse who earns less or nothing at all. Maintenance recognizes that marriage is an economic partnership where one spouse may have sacrificed career advancement, earning potential, or educational opportunities to support the family or the other spouse’s career.

Unlike child support which focuses on the children’s needs, maintenance specifically addresses the financial disparity between spouses and the receiving spouse’s ability to become self-supporting. Importantly, maintenance is not automatic in Illinois divorce cases – the court must first determine whether maintenance is appropriate based on numerous statutory factors before calculating any amount or duration.

Illinois uses a specific mathematical formula to calculate guideline maintenance when certain conditions are met. The formula is: 33.33% of the paying spouse’s net annual income minus 25% of the receiving spouse’s net annual income equals the annual maintenance amount.

For example, if the paying spouse has net income of $100,000 annually and the receiving spouse has net income of $40,000 annually, the calculation would be: $100,000 x 33.33% = $33,330, then $40,000 x 25% = $10,000, and finally $33,330 – $10,000 = $23,330 annual maintenance payment.

However, there’s a critical cap on this calculation. The total amount of maintenance when added to the recipient’s net income cannot exceed 40% of both spouses’ combined net income. Using our example, the recipient’s income of $40,000 plus maintenance of $23,330 equals $63,330, which must not exceed 40% of the combined income of $140,000 (which would be $56,000). Since $63,330 exceeds $56,000, the maintenance amount must be reduced. The final maintenance would be $56,000 minus $40,000 = $16,000 annually.

This guideline formula applies when the couple’s combined gross annual income is less than $500,000 and the paying spouse has no obligation to pay child support or maintenance from a previous relationship. The formula was updated in 2019 to use net income rather than gross income, accounting for changes in federal tax law that eliminated the tax deduction for maintenance payments.

The duration of maintenance in Illinois is directly tied to the length of the marriage, calculated by multiplying the number of years married by a specific percentage factor. For marriages under 5 years, maintenance lasts 20% of the marriage length. The percentage increases by 4% for each additional year of marriage.

For example, a 5-6 year marriage uses 24%, a 6-7 year marriage uses 28%, a 7-8 year marriage uses 32%, and so on. The percentages continue increasing: 8-9 years = 36%, 9-10 years = 40%, 10-11 years = 44%, 11-12 years = 48%, 12-13 years = 52%, 13-14 years = 56%, 14-15 years = 60%, 15-16 years = 64%, 16-17 years = 68%, 17-18 years = 72%, 18-19 years = 76%, and 19-20 years = 80%.

For marriages of 20 years or longer, the court has discretion to order maintenance for a period equal to the length of the marriage or order indefinite maintenance with no specific end date.

To calculate duration using this formula, take your marriage length and multiply by the applicable percentage. For instance, a 10-year marriage would result in maintenance lasting 40% of 10 years, which equals 4 years. A 7-year marriage would last 32% of 7 years, approximately 2.24 years or about 27 months. These duration guidelines provide predictability, though courts retain discretion to deviate from these timeframes when circumstances warrant non-guideline maintenance awards. The marriage length is measured from the date of marriage to the date the divorce petition was filed.

Illinois recognizes five distinct types of maintenance, each serving different purposes and timeframes. Temporary maintenance provides financial support during the divorce process itself, from the time spouses separate until the divorce is finalized. This helps cover living expenses and regular costs during the separation period and automatically terminates when the divorce judgment is entered.

Fixed-term maintenance is awarded for a predetermined, specific duration after divorce, commonly used when one spouse needs time to gain education, job training, or work experience to become self-supporting. This type has a definite end date stated in the divorce order.

Reviewable maintenance is similar to fixed-term but includes a provision requiring the court to review the maintenance arrangement at a specified future date to determine whether continuation, modification, or termination is appropriate based on changed circumstances. The burden rests on the recipient to request this review by the designated date or the maintenance terminates.

Indefinite maintenance has no predetermined end date and continues until the court modifies or terminates it due to substantial change in circumstances, the recipient remarries, either party dies, or the recipient cohabits with another person on a conjugal basis. This type is typically reserved for longer marriages of 20 years or more, though courts have discretion.

Lump-sum maintenance involves a one-time payment of the entire maintenance obligation rather than ongoing periodic payments, allowing both parties to achieve a clean financial break. This can be paid in cash or through property division offsets, such as one spouse keeping the marital home in lieu of receiving maintenance payments. The type of maintenance awarded depends on the specific circumstances of each divorce, including marriage length, the parties’ ages and health, earning capacities, and the purpose the maintenance is intended to serve.

The 40% cap is a critical limitation built into Illinois maintenance calculations that prevents the receiving spouse from ending up with too large a share of the combined marital income. Specifically, the cap requires that the recipient spouse’s total net income including maintenance payments cannot exceed 40% of both spouses’ combined net income. This cap functions as a ceiling that reduces the initial maintenance calculation when necessary to ensure fairness.

Here’s how it works in practice: After calculating maintenance using the standard formula (33.33% of payor’s net income minus 25% of payee’s net income), you must verify whether adding that maintenance amount to the recipient’s net income would exceed 40% of the combined income. If it does exceed 40%, the maintenance amount must be reduced so the recipient’s total income (their earnings plus maintenance) equals exactly 40% of combined income.

For example, consider a couple with combined net income of $150,000 where one spouse earns $120,000 and the other earns $30,000. The basic formula calculation yields: $120,000 x 33.33% = $40,000, minus $30,000 x 25% = $7,500, for a result of $32,500. However, $30,000 recipient income plus $32,500 maintenance equals $62,500, which exceeds 40% of the $150,000 combined income ($60,000). Therefore, maintenance must be reduced to $30,000 annually ($60,000 minus the recipient’s $30,000 income) to comply with the 40% cap.

This cap serves important policy purposes: it ensures the paying spouse retains majority income share to meet their own living expenses and obligations, prevents maintenance from being punitive or creating reversed income disparity, and maintains work incentives for both parties by preventing situations where the recipient receives more benefit from not working. The 40% cap applies to all guideline maintenance calculations in Illinois and significantly impacts final maintenance amounts in cases with moderate income disparities.

Before calculating any maintenance amount, Illinois courts must first determine whether maintenance is appropriate at all by considering fourteen statutory factors outlined in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. These factors include: each spouse’s income, property, and financial resources, including how marital property will be divided and whether the spouse seeking maintenance received property sufficient to provide for their reasonable needs; the present and future earning capacity of each party; any impairment of the earning capacity of the spouse seeking maintenance due to devoting time to domestic duties or having forgone or delayed education, training, employment, or career opportunities due to the marriage; any impairment of the present or future earning capacity of the spouse against whom maintenance is sought.

Additional factors include: the time necessary for the spouse seeking maintenance to acquire appropriate education, training, and employment, and whether that spouse is able to support themselves through appropriate employment; the standard of living established during the marriage; the duration of the marriage; the age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities, and needs of each party; all sources of public and private income including disability and retirement income; the tax consequences of the property division upon the respective economic circumstances of the parties; contributions and services by the spouse seeking maintenance to the education, training, career or career potential, or license of the other spouse; any valid agreement of the parties; and any other factor the court expressly finds to be just and equitable.

Notably absent from these factors is marital misconduct – Illinois does not consider fault, infidelity, or bad behavior when determining maintenance. The analysis focuses entirely on financial need, ability to pay, and economic circumstances. These factors help courts determine if maintenance is warranted before ever applying the guideline formula. If the factors suggest maintenance is inappropriate because both spouses can support themselves adequately or other reasons, no maintenance will be ordered regardless of what the formula would calculate.

The Illinois guideline maintenance formula is not universally applied in all divorce cases – specific circumstances trigger non-guideline maintenance determinations where courts have broader discretion. The formula does not apply when the couple’s combined gross annual income equals or exceeds $500,000. For high-income couples above this threshold, courts determine maintenance amount and duration based on the statutory factors rather than the mathematical formula, allowing for individualized assessment of appropriate support levels for wealthy spouses.

The formula also doesn’t apply when the paying spouse has a pre-existing obligation to pay child support or maintenance from a previous relationship. In these multiple family situations, the prior obligations may be deducted from the payor’s income before calculating new maintenance, or courts may determine non-guideline maintenance is more appropriate given the divided financial obligations.

Additionally, courts can deviate from guideline maintenance even when the formula would normally apply if the judge makes a specific finding that applying the guidelines would be inappropriate given the case’s unique circumstances. When ordering non-guideline maintenance, the court must state in writing what amount the guidelines would have produced and explain the reasons for deviating from that calculated amount.

Common reasons for deviation include: substantial marital assets providing income-producing property to the recipient spouse, the recipient receiving a disproportionate share of marital property that can meet their needs, the payor having significant financial obligations reducing their ability to pay guideline amounts, situations where guideline maintenance would be punitive rather than supportive, or cases where the statutory factors weigh heavily toward different amounts or durations than the formula produces. The court retains discretion to award more or less than guideline maintenance, or to set different durations than the marriage-length percentage would dictate, but must provide clear reasoning for such deviations. This flexibility ensures maintenance awards fit the specific circumstances of each divorce while maintaining the guideline formula as the default starting point for typical cases.

Net income for Illinois maintenance purposes is gross income after certain deductions, though the calculation can become complex depending on income sources and individual circumstances. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has developed a standardized net income conversion table that computes net income by deducting standardized tax amounts from gross income, accounting for federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax.

For straightforward W-2 wage earners, net income is typically calculated using the previous year’s Form W-2 or final paycheck stub showing year-to-date income, which provides uniformity and allows maintenance determinations to remain stable over time without annual recalculation. However, for individuals with variable income such as sales commissions, bonuses, or self-employment income, determining net income requires more sophisticated analysis.

Courts may impute or estimate income by averaging multiple years of earnings to avoid basing maintenance on an unusually high or low earnings year. For example, if someone earned $100,000 in year one, $300,000 in year two, and $80,000 in year three, their income might be imputed at $160,000 (the three-year average) for maintenance calculation purposes.

For self-employed individuals and business owners, net income calculations must account for business expenses, depreciation, and other deductions, distinguishing between legitimate business costs and personal expenses run through the business. Certain income items are included in net income for maintenance purposes: salary and wages, bonuses and commissions, investment income and dividends, rental property income, retirement account distributions if voluntarily taken, business income after legitimate expenses, and income from all sources regardless of characterization. Some types of income may be excluded or receive special treatment: gifts and inheritances typically aren’t considered income for maintenance, though investment earnings from those assets may be; certain disability benefits may be excluded; and income already obligated to other dependents through prior support orders. The shift from gross to net income calculations in 2019 represented a significant change in Illinois law, implemented to account for federal tax law changes eliminating the alimony tax deduction.

Yes, Illinois strongly encourages spouses to negotiate and agree upon their own maintenance terms rather than having a judge decide for them. Parties have complete freedom to agree to maintenance amounts and durations that differ from what the statutory guidelines would calculate, whether that means more maintenance, less maintenance, longer duration, shorter duration, or no maintenance at all. These agreements can take many creative forms that might not be available through litigation.

Spouses might agree to lump-sum maintenance paid entirely upfront rather than over time, allowing for a clean financial break. They might structure maintenance to decrease or increase over time based on anticipated life changes, such as reducing payments when the recipient completes job training or the payor retires. Couples sometimes trade maintenance for property, with one spouse keeping a larger share of marital assets in exchange for waiving maintenance rights. They might include cost-of-living adjustments, performance-based modifications, or true-up provisions where the payor pays additional amounts if their income exceeds projections. The agreement might specify that maintenance terminates upon certain triggering events beyond the statutory termination grounds, such as when the recipient secures employment at a certain income level.

To create a binding maintenance agreement, the terms must be set forth in a written settlement agreement signed by both parties, and the court must approve and incorporate those terms into the divorce judgment. Courts generally approve agreed-upon maintenance terms as long as both parties entered into the agreement voluntarily with full disclosure of financial circumstances, they had opportunity to consult with legal counsel, and the terms aren’t unconscionably unfair.

The agreement should clearly specify the amount of maintenance (or that no maintenance will be paid), the payment schedule and method, the duration or circumstances for termination, whether the terms are modifiable or non-modifiable, tax treatment if relevant, and what happens upon death, remarriage, or cohabitation. Parties can also agree whether maintenance will be reviewable or non-reviewable, and whether it can be modified in the future. Negotiated maintenance agreements offer significant advantages: they provide certainty and control over the outcome rather than risking an unpredictable court decision, allow creative solutions tailored to the family’s unique circumstances, reduce conflict and legal fees compared to litigation, and can address tax implications and other financial planning considerations more strategically than court-ordered maintenance.

Maintenance in Illinois terminates automatically under several specific circumstances, regardless of what the divorce order states about duration. First, maintenance ends when the designated termination date arrives if the court ordered fixed-term maintenance with a specific end date, such as maintenance for 5 years ending on a particular date. The payor’s obligation stops completely on that date unless there’s a reviewable maintenance provision requiring the court to assess whether continuation is warranted.

Second, maintenance terminates immediately when the recipient spouse remarries. This makes sense because remarriage creates a new economic partnership and support obligation from the new spouse, eliminating the need for support from the former spouse. The payor doesn’t need to file anything with the court – remarriage automatically terminates the obligation, though payors often file a petition to make the termination official in the court record.

Third, maintenance ends when the recipient spouse cohabits with another person on a conjugal basis, meaning living together in a marriage-like relationship. Cohabitation termination can be more complicated than remarriage because it requires proving the cohabitation has the character of a marriage relationship, not just roommates. Factors courts consider include: whether the couple holds themselves out as a couple, shares a residence exclusively, has a sexual relationship, shares finances, and demonstrates commitment and permanence.

Fourth, maintenance automatically terminates upon the death of either the paying spouse or the receiving spouse, unless the divorce judgment specifically provides otherwise. This creates risk for the recipient if the payor dies early in a long-term maintenance award, which is why maintenance orders sometimes include life insurance requirements to secure the obligation.

Beyond these automatic termination triggers, maintenance can end through court modification based on substantial change in circumstances. A substantial change means a significant alteration in either the recipient’s need for support or the payor’s ability to pay, such as: the recipient securing employment with income sufficient for self-support, the payor experiencing involuntary job loss or significant income reduction, either party developing serious health conditions affecting earning capacity, or the recipient receiving substantial assets through inheritance or other means. The party seeking termination must file a petition demonstrating the substantial change and proving the modification is warranted. Courts will not terminate maintenance for temporary or voluntary changes, such as voluntary retirement before normal retirement age, voluntary reduction in income, or short-term setbacks. The termination analysis requires balancing both parties’ current financial circumstances against what was anticipated when maintenance was originally ordered.

Lay the groundwork for a peaceful divorce

About the Authors – Divorce Mediators You Can Trust

Equitable Mediation Services is a trusted and nationally recognized provider of divorce mediation, serving couples exclusively in California, New Jersey, Washington, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Founded in 2008, this husband-and-wife team has successfully guided more than 1,000 couples through the complex divorce process, helping them reach amicable, fair, and thorough agreements that balance each of their interests and prioritizes their children’s well-being. All without involving attorneys if they so choose.

At the heart of Equitable Mediation are Joe Dillon, MBA, and Cheryl Dillon, CPC—two compassionate, experienced professionals committed to helping couples resolve divorce’s financial, emotional, and practical issues peacefully and with dignity.

Photo of mediator Joe Dillon at the center of the Equitable Mediation team, all smiling and poised around a conference table ready to assist. Looking for expert, compassionate divorce support? Call Equitable Mediation at (877) 732-6682 to connect with our dedicated team today.

Joe Dillon, MBA – Divorce Mediator & Negotiation Expert

As a seasoned Divorce Mediator with an MBA in Finance, Joe Dillon specializes in helping clients navigate complex parental and financial issues, including:

  • Physical and legal custody
  • Spousal support (alimony) and child support
  • Equitable distribution and community property division
  • Business ownership
  • Retirement accounts, stock options, and RSUs

Joe’s unique blend of financial acumen, mediation expertise, and personal insight enables him to skillfully guide couples through complex divorce negotiations, reaching fair agreements that safeguard the family’s emotional and financial well-being.

He brings clarity and structure to even the most challenging negotiations, ensuring both parties feel heard, supported, and in control of their outcome. This approach has earned him a reputation as one of the most trusted names in alternative dispute resolution.

Photo of Cheryl Dillon standing with the Equitable Mediation team in a bright conference room, all smiling and ready to guide clients through an amicable divorce process. For compassionate, expert support from Cheryl Dillon and our team, call Equitable Mediation at (877) 732-6682 today.

Cheryl Dillon, CPC – Certified Divorce Coach & Life Transitions Expert

Cheryl Dillon is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and the Divorce Coach at Equitable Mediation. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and completed formal training at The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) – an internationally recognized leader in the field of coaching education.

Her unique blend of emotional intelligence, coaching expertise, and personal insight enables her to guide individuals through divorce’s emotional complexities compassionately.

Cheryl’s approach fosters improved communication, reduced conflict, and better decision-making, equipping clients to manage divorce’s challenges effectively. Because emotions have a profound impact on shaping the divorce process, its outcomes, and future well-being of all involved.

What We Offer: Flat-Fee, Full-Service Divorce Mediation

Equitable Mediation provides:

  • Full-service divorce mediation with real financial expertise
  • Convenient, online sessions via Zoom
  • Unlimited sessions for one customized flat fee (no hourly billing surprises)
  • Child custody and parenting plan negotiation
  • Spousal support and asset division mediation
  • Divorce coaching and emotional support
  • Free and paid educational courses on the divorce process

Whether clients are facing financial complexities, looking to safeguard their children’s futures, or trying to protect everything they’ve worked hard to build, Equitable Mediation has the expertise to guide them towards the outcomes that matter most to them and their families.

Why Couples Choose Equitable Mediation

  • 98% case resolution rate
  • Trusted by over 1,000 families since 2008
  • Subject-matter experts in the states in which they practice
  • Known for confidential, respectful, and cost-effective processes
  • Recommendations by therapists, financial planners, and former clients

Equitable Mediation Services operates in:

  • California: San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles
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  • Washington: Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland
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Schedule a Free Info Call to learn if you’re a good candidate for divorce mediation with Joe and Cheryl.

Related Resources

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