Alan-Michael was raised to adulthood by his mother in New York City and lived near his great great Aunt Trudy Bauer Palmer until he came to Springfield to live with his father when he was 17 years old. Until recently, he was the only biological son of his father, Alan Spaulding. Despite this, his adopted older brother, Phillip, seemed to be Alan's favorite and was groomed to take over the business while Alan-Michael was often left feeling overlooked and unloved. He is heavily influenced by his desire to be nothing like his father and brother on a personal level and his deep-rooted need to prove that he's just as capable as they are in business. While Alan and Philip are wholly proud of being Spauldings, Alan-Michael has always seen it as a mixed blessing, and sometimes more of a curse. He also has a deep-seated need for his father's approval which is usually at odds with his disdain for him. Conversely, he is much closer with his Aunt Alexandra who is usually an ally to him in business as well as personal matters.