Spousal Maintenance (or Alimony) is
financial support paid from one spouse to the other spouse
under specific circumstances that is not Child Support but
can be in addition to Child Support. For detailed
areas of expertise in alimony and to read more about
alimony law please see click
here.
RCW 26.09.090 sets forth the factors the Court is to consider when determining whether to award spousal maintenance or alimony in a divorce or legal separation proceeding. Unlike Child Support, the legislature has not determined a schedule for the amount of Spousal Maintenance or Alimony that is paid but has left this determination up to the discretion of the judicial officers on a case by case basis.
The factors the judicial officers consider include the need of one spouse to receive financial assistance from the other spouse and the ability of the other spouse to pay financial support. Other factors pursuant to RCW 26.09.080 include:
(a) The financial resources of the party seeking
maintenance, including separate or community property
apportioned to him, and his ability to meet his needs
independently, including the extent to which a provision
for support of a child living with the party includes a
sum for that party;
(b) The time necessary to acquire sufficient education
or training to enable the party seeking maintenance to
find employment appropriate to his skill, interests, style
of life, and other attendant circumstances;
(c) The standard of living established during the
marriage;
(d) The duration of the marriage;
(e) The age, physical and emotional condition, and
financial obligations of the spouse seeking maintenance;
and
(f) The ability of the spouse from whom maintenance is sought to meet his needs and financial obligations while meeting those of the spouse seeking maintenance.

Tsai Law Company, PLLC
2101 4th Avenue Suite 1560
Seattle, WA 98121
1-425-DIVORCE (348-6723)
Email:
support@TLClawco.com
The benefit to the payor spouse of spousal maintenance
(alimony) is that it is tax deductible. However, the payee
spouse must report the spousal maintenance (alimony) as regular
income on his/her income tax return. Like the
division of property, the Court is precluded from
considering marital misconduct when determining whether or
not to order spousal maintenance (alimony). Spousal
maintenance terminates upon the death or remarriage of the
spouse receiving spousal maintenance unless there are
specific agreements to the contrary.
Call an Alimony Attorney at TLC to discuss Spousal Maintenance or Alimony law in Washington State as applied specifically to your situation. Please visit our home page for additional information about our Seattle Divorce Lawyers.


