Spousal Support in Alberta

Spousal support may be awarded based on: compensatory grounds (career sacrifices for family), non-compensatory grounds (economic hardship from marriage breakdown), or contractual grounds (existing agreements). Not every divorce involves spousal support.

Alberta courts regularly use the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG) to help determine amount and duration. These provide formulas based on income, length of marriage, and presence of children, producing ranges rather than fixed amounts.

Support can be periodic (monthly payments), lump sum, or a combination. It may be time-limited to allow the recipient to become self-sufficient, or indefinite for longer marriages or where self-sufficiency isn't realistic.

Support orders can be varied if circumstances change materially - job loss, retirement, recipient becoming self-sufficient, or cohabitation with a new partner. Some orders include built-in review dates.