In Washington, the concept of alimony was replaced with spousal maintenance.
1
Basis for Spousal Maintenance
Maintenance is based upon what the court ultimately determines is just, including the resources of the party requesting maintenance including the assets to be received and the need for child support, time needed to get training to become employable, the standard of living established during the relationship, the duration of the relationship, the age and condition (physical, emotional or financial) of the party requesting maintenance, and the ability of the paying spouse to meet his/her needs while paying maintenance.
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Amount and Duration of Spousal Maintenance
There are always two issues that need to be addressed with spousal maintenance. The first is how much, and the second is how long. Unfortunately there is no scientific formula to determine either of these. It is more of an art than it is a science. A good, experienced family law attorney can give you an idea of what you might expect from your trial judge.
3
Temporary Versus Final Order of Spousal Maintenance
Initially, the parties can bring a motion before the court to order temporary spousal maintenance. This would be for payment while the case is pending, waiting for trial.
Ultimately, at trial or by agreement of the parties, the issue of final maintenance must be addressed. This determines how much maintenance will be paid and for how long after the entry of the Decree.
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