Fighting for a Fair Outcome in Your Case
Spousal support can help a party remain financially stable during or after a divorce, ensuring they receive the resources they need to maintain a good quality of life.
Whether you want to petition another party for spousal support or find yourself acting as a prospective payor, our Tacoma spousal maintenance lawyers are here to help you navigate your case. To schedule a free consultation with our team, contact us online or via phone at 253-300-4521.
Types of Spousal Maintenance in Washington
In Washington, an individual who receives spousal support can obtain one of the following types of spousal maintenance:
- Temporary support. In many divorces, one party needs help maintaining financial stability during the divorce. This is common when the parties move into different living spaces and one of them is not currently employed or does not have an income capable of supporting their needs. The court may award a party temporary support to provide them with financial stability during the divorce, but the support will dissolve once the court finalizes the divorce.
- Short-term maintenance. Short-term maintenance is intended to help a party maintain financial stability until they can support themselves independent of additional assistance. Short-term maintenance usually has a defined end-date and lasts for as long as the court thinks it will take one party to obtain financial stability through new employment, training, etc.
- Long-term maintenance. When a party cannot feasibly support themselves or two parties divorce after a long marriage, the court may award one party long-term maintenance. This kind of maintenance may not have an end-date or be slated to end when one party shows they are financially independent.
Factors courts consider during spousal maintenance cases include:
- The length of the parties' marriage;
- The age and health of each party;
- The standard of living established during the marriage;
- The employability and professional training of each party;
- How long it may take a prospective recipient to become financially stable;
- The roles each party played during the marriage;
- Whether either party contributed to the other's professional development or education;
- Each party's income and other assets or liabilities;
- Whether either party is already involved in a spousal maintenance or child support arrangement;
- How a potential spousal maintenance arrangement would impact the payor;
- Any other factors the court considers relevant.
How Much Spousal Support Will I Pay?
Unlike some states, Washington doesn't use a calculator to determine how much spousal support a party pays. The judge presiding over the case determines what constitutes an equitable spousal maintenance arrangement depending on the circumstances of the case.
Our Tacoma spousal support attorneys can help you pursue an equitable outcome in your spousal maintenance case. Our conveniently located Tacoma office has free, safe, easy to find parking right off Interstate 5 at the Tacoma Mall Office Building. To schedule a free consultation with our team, contact us online or via phone at 253-300-4521.