Recent Posts in the Spousal Support Category

• How Long Does Spousal Support Last?

  Oct 28, 2024
  Divorce is a complex process that involves numerous financial considerations, each with the potential to significantly impact one's economic well-being and future prospects. Alimony—also known as spousal support or maintenance—often plays a crucial role in the divorce settlement. Alimony is a vital component of many divorce agreements. It provides financial assistance to a spouse who requires support based on various factors, including the other party's ability to pay. This arrangement aims to help the recipient spouse ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>

• When Can Support Payments be Modified in Washington?

  Dec 26, 2023
  In Washington, support payments, whether child or spousal, are not necessarily fixed indefinitely. The law recognizes that life circumstances can change, sometimes drastically, and these changes may warrant a modification of the existing support order. This adjustment is a legal procedure that necessitates a thorough understanding of the associated laws and regulations. The requirements for modification, however, differ between child support and spousal support payments. A significant change in circumstances is generally the ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>

• 3 Things to Know About Spousal Support in Washington

  Nov 16, 2023
  Spousal support, also called spousal maintenance, is a court-ordered payment that one spouse must make to the other to make sure that neither spouse is left destitute both during and after the divorce proceedings. Below, we explain different types of spousal support, the tax consequences, and when spousal support can be modified in Washington. #1: Types of Spousal Maintenance Judges in Washington can award three types of spousal maintenance: temporary support, short-term maintenance, and long-term maintenance. Judges can ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>

• Common Legal Challenges Blended Families Face During the Divorce Process

  Sep 25, 2023
  The number of blended families has grown significantly in recent decades and there is now greater social acceptance of non-traditional family structures. The modern family can sometimes include the biological children of both partners and stepchildren, which means different legal issues need to be considered by blended families. Child Custody When two people with children of their own marry and create a new family unit, issues like interacting with a spouse’s ex and travel arrangements for periods of custody can sometimes ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>

• Reducing or Canceling Spousal Support Payments

  Jan 27, 2023
  There are many reasons an ex-spouse may feel like their spousal support order is no longer fair. Below, we discuss what can be done to reduce or cancel a spousal support order that was awarded as part of a divorce settlement. Change In Circumstances If the settlement agreement or alimony order doesn't specify a timeframe for when alimony can be modified, then both spouses have the option to file a request with the court to ask for a change to the order. Ex-spouses should try to first reach an agreement to reduce support ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>

• Does Marital Conduct Impact Spousal Support Awards?

  Dec 5, 2022
  Marriage can come to a dramatic and abrupt end if a spouse’s misconduct becomes known. Adultery and drug abuse may drive an irreparable wedge between spouses, but misconduct does not typically affect spousal support in Washington State. Alimony – also called maintenance in Washington State – is typically awarded to bridge a big disparity between the spouses’ incomes and employability. Support is not designed as a punishment for a wrongdoing spouse. Instead, spousal support aims to help the lesser-earning spouse regain their ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>

• An Overview of the Financial Effects of Divorce

  Feb 28, 2022
  Divorce will affect every facet of your life, including your finances. Before you file, it is important to understand how the separation will influence your financial standing. Although your personal living expenses may decrease somewhat when you and your spouse part ways, your finances will probably need time to recover — divorce still requires you to divide one household income to support two new households. Financial Factors to Consider During Divorce Researchers estimate that, in the United States, the average divorce ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>

• Paying and Receiving Spousal Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Jul 10, 2020
  By Theresa Lorella, McKinley Irvin Senior Attorney The overall issues regarding spousal support—alimony—mirror the general themes set out in the previous blog that describes child support. Namely, the person who is supposed to pay may not have the funds right now and the person who is receiving support likely needs those funds more than ever. Because this issue doesn’t involve children, it may be even less emergent to the court in your jurisdiction, meaning you may not be able to get your issue—on either the paying or ...
  Posted By McKinley Irvin
  Continue reading >>