How Does Tacoma’s Spousal Support System Work?

Every divorce in Washington involves two different issues. These are: 

(i) Dividing the couple’s assets; and 

(ii) Making sure that both partners may continue to live up to the quality of living they had while they were married, if at all possible.

The latter is made possible by the payment of support payments. The university place divorce attorney establishes a list of variables that must be considered when determining spousal support. Still, it does not specify rules or a predetermined formula that divorced couples must follow. As a result, during the divorce process, spouses must bargain for spousal maintenance. If the couple cannot agree, then each spouse must submit their case to the judge, who will make a legally enforceable ruling.

Five Critical Questions About Support Payments in Washington, Answered

In Washington, providing spousal support throughout a divorce offers specific difficulties, but spouses can get through these difficulties with the right strategy and the assistance of knowledgeable legal counsel.

• Is there a distinction between alimony, spousal support, and spousal maintenance?

There is no distinction between support payments, spousal support, and alimony in Washington. Although spousal support and alimony are sometimes used interchangeably, the former is more widely known.

• How is Washingtonian spousal support determined?

Spouses and their counsel should concentrate on the elements stated in Section 26. section 26.09.09009.090 of the RCW when determining alimony during a divorce.

• In Washington, how long do spousal support agreements last?

There are no particular rules for determining the length of a spousal support judgment in Washington, just as there is no fixed method for calculating the sum of spousal support. As previously mentioned, the length of the marriage affects how long maintenance will last. According to Washington’s courts, a marriage lasting 25 years or more may be sufficient to warrant a permanent alimony award. The length of the marriage is simply one element that must be considered in addition to the other considerations mentioned above for shorter marriages.

• After a divorce, can either spouse ask for a modification of spousal support?

After a divorce, spousal support awards are subject to change under Washington law, but only in particular situations. To be more precise, the spouse asking for spousal assistance to be changed must be capable of demonstrating that a “substantial change” supports the request.

• Does a spousal support recipient’s duty to pay end upon remarriage?

The basic norm in Washington is that the receiving spouse’s subsequent marriage justifies the suspension of maintenance payments.