Finances are commonly the most contentious issue of a divorce, and in many cases they will continue to affect ex-spouses long after the finalization of the divorce. Fortunately, you do not have to try to handle this conflict alone. Instead, you can get professional help from a Seattle spousal maintenance and alimony lawyer.
Our team at Dellino Family Law can provide the dedicated support you need when handling the distribution of alimony or spousal support. We have over 180 years of combined experience that we can draw on to assist with these aspects of family law.
You can rely on a Seattle divorce lawyer from our team to explain your situation, options, and the steps you need to take to protect yourself financially during and after a divorce.
Why Hire a Spousal Maintenance and Alimony Lawyer in Seattle?
Money represents a leading cause of stress in relationships. Couples may engage in power struggles around money, communication about money, or financial imbalances within the relationship. For these reasons and more, finances are also a common contributor to separation and divorce.
These conflicts often continue during the divorce process, especially for long-term marriages that have a standard of living established over time.
A spousal support lawyer can step in and explain the steps you need to take to protect your finances during the legal process. A Seattle family lawyer can also explain your financial obligations towards an ex–spouse.
Spousal Maintenance: Legal Information
We use the term spousal maintenance to refer to money paid by one spouse to the other spouse after a divorce. Spousal maintenance exists apart from child support payments. It serves to provide support to an ex-spouse who needs to pay bills or maintain a certain lifestyle after the dissolution of a marriage.
How Does Spousal Maintenance Differ From “Alimony”?
There is no difference between alimony and spousal maintenance. These are two different words for the same concept. In Washington State, it is called spousal maintenance. Other states may use the terms spousal support or alimony to refer to the same payments.
How Does the Court Determine Spousal Maintenance?
Washington State does not consider spousal maintenance mandatory. This distinction sets the payments apart from child support. The legal system will decide whether to order this form of support by deciding if the payments are equitable and just.
The court will have the freedom to interpret this decision. Our legal system does not have specific rules set up to determine the amount of spousal maintenance ordered after a divorce. However, the court does frequently consider several factors when making a decision.
Depending on the facts surrounding your situation, the court may consider:
- If the spouse requesting alimony can support themselves
- The financial resources available to both spouses
- The standard of living that both spouses have grown accustomed to
- The length of time a couple spent married
- The age of each spouse
- The earning capabilities of each spouse
- The funds each spouse contributed to the management of the household during their marriage
The court will consider these topics and more to determine whether or not to grant spousal support payments.
In general, with shorter-term marriages, spousal maintenance awards tend to be short-term. Longer-term marriages are more likely to yield longer-term awards. “Rehabilitative maintenance” is a time-limited award intended to afford one spouse the time to achieve financial independence.
For more information, please contact us and consult with our family law attorneys, who are very well-versed in these topic areas. You can rely on an experienced attorney to provide the answers you need about spousal support awards.
Does Maintenance Begin Before the Divorce?
The court system may award temporary maintenance (or temporary alimony) while the divorce proceedings go through the court system. Generally, the court provides this form of maintenance because divorces take nearly a year to complete on average.
However, the court does not automatically award temporary maintenance to the disadvantaged spouse. Instead, the party that wants temporary alimony must file a motion with the court to receive it.
A spousal maintenance and alimony attorney in Seattle can provide more legal guidance on this form of temporary spousal support.
Temporary Undifferentiated Family Support in Seattle
Many judges in the court system conflate child support and spousal maintenance. Therefore, they may decide to award “undifferentiated family support” instead of treating alimony and temporary child support as different payments.
The court may also decide to provide undifferentiated family support because it takes less time during temporary order hearings.
Generally, the court will get to decide on a “fair” payment for this temporary payment. However, the judge will usually try to divide the monthly income of both ex-spouses evenly.
You Can Protect Yourself During a Divorce
If you have been giving your spouse money during your legal separation, or if you have been receiving it, you must keep receipts. Your lawyer may need them to help further your case in court; the amount of money that has changed hands can affect your judge’s ruling.
Your attorney may also ask you about the state of your family’s finances before your divorce, so it is a wise idea to gather as much information as possible. Protect yourself by knowing all there is to know about your family’s finances. Even if one partner has been in charge of the finances, the other partner should understand:
- Where the family stands
- How to navigate the accounts
- How to read statements
Everyone needs to have at least a baseline understanding of their financial situation and knowledge about where to turn to seek clarification on the more complicated aspects of things. We are here to assist with spousal support issues.
You Can Turn to Us for Help With Spousal Maintenance
If you are seeking spousal maintenance or if you are obligated to provide spousal maintenance, you must have strong legal representation on your side.
Dellino Law Group has the compassion, knowledge, and expertise to assist you effectively and collaboratively as you enter the next phase of your life. Our Seattle spousal maintenance and alimony attorneys will consult with you, advise you of your legal rights and obligations, and assist in determining the best path moving forward.
Contact us today by filling out our quick online form, or give us a call to let us know how we can help. We are standing by to provide the assistance you deserve.