When going through a divorce, you are probably aware of child support and spousal support. But do you know how the figures for each are determined and which spouse will pay for the other? Watch this short video to learn more about child support and spousal support.
Generally you determine that after you come up with the parenting plan which is a residential schedule for the child. Generally the primary parent receives child support. How do you determine if someone is going to be obligated to pay spousal support or alimony or "maintenance," as the term is used in Washington? This is a very complex question and are no rules. For example, in child support there are rules that you input people's income into a formula and it spits out a number as to what is the transfer payment. With spousal support many factors come into play: the length of the marriage, has one party stayed at home and been the primary caregiver of the children, what are the parties’ educational backgrounds, what are their employment prospects. If you're fifty nine-years-old and you've been out of the workforce for ten years at best you might be able to hope for a minimum wage job. That's going to impact your need for spousal support much more so than say, you are forty years old you have a bachelor's and a master's and you've only been out of the workforce for three or four years. One to the other big factors is how much greater is the higher earnings spouse's income than the lower earning spouses income.
Spousal support (also known as maintenance in Washington State) is determined by a trial judge after reviewing many factors such as the length of the marriage, the difference between the higher earning spouse’s income and the lower earning spouse’s income, both spouses’ education and potential employment prospects.
To work with a divorce attorney who can help you learn about your rights and educate you more about child support and maintenance, contact divorce attorney Molly B. Kenny at her Bellevue law office at 425-460-0550 or online at https://www.mollybkenny.com/contact.cfm.
