On June 24, 2015, the New York State Senate unanimously passed a bill that will bring extensive revisions to the Domestic Relations Law and particularly to spousal support guidelines. The bill was previously passed by the New York State Assembly by a margin of 146-1 on June 15, 2015. It is expected that Governor Andrew Cuomo will sign the bill. Among the most anticipated revisions is the elimination of enhanced earning capacity as a marital asset—which means that courts are no longer required to determine the lifetime value of a license or professional degree earned during the marriage.1
The bill had broad support among prominent legal organizations representing the interests of divorcing spouses across all income levels including the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers New York chapter, New York Legal Assistance Group, the Family Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York.
