Seattle Divorce Lawyers

Spousal Support Attorneys Serving Clients in Seattle, Washington

When divorces happen, sometimes it is necessary for one spouse to provide the other spouse with financial support.  When payments or transfers of money or other assets are given to one spouse from the other, it is considered to be spousal support, or alimony as it is sometimes called.  There are a number of different circumstances that may contribute to a person’s need for spousal support and a Seattle divorce lawyer can help you if you feel you deserve or need spousal support. 

Washington spousal support laws were created with the purpose of preventing a divorcee from suffering a significant decrease in their standard of living after a divorce.  There are many occasions where one spouse in a marriage acts as the primary caretaker for the children and runs the home instead of joining the outside workforce.  People in this position are at a serious disadvantage of finding a good job because they are untrained in the workforce and as a result it would be difficult, if not impossible, for them to find a job that would support the same lifestyle they enjoyed before the divorce.  Spousal support will give a spouse in this kind of situation a better chance at starting over after a divorce.    

Determining the Need for Spousal Support

There are three main factors that together will determine if a spouse should receive spousal support, including:

• The length of the marriage. Partners in longer marriages that exceed 25 years are more likely to receive spousal support).
• The earning capacities of both spouses. If there is a significant difference in these figures it may prove the need for spousal support.
• If one person worked in the home full time, taking care of the household and children, this may prove a greater need of spousal support.

To find out more about spousal support, contact a Seattle Divorce Attorney today!