Spousal Support Lawyer in Kennewick, WA
When one spouse earns significantly more than the other, spousal support can help address the financial gap after a divorce. Skyview Law represents clients seeking spousal maintenance as well as those who have been asked to pay it.
Most of the spousal support cases we handle in Kennewick don’t show up on their own. They arrive wrapped inside a contested divorce, a business that has to be valued, or a retirement account that needs to be split before either spouse can move on. That combination is where we spend most of our time, and it shapes how we build a support case from the first meeting.
Spousal support is one piece of the family law work we handle for clients across Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco, alongside custody, property division, and the divorce case itself.
What a Judge Weighs Under RCW 26.09.090
Washington doesn’t run spousal maintenance through a calculator the way it does child support. RCW 26.09.090 gives the court a set of factors to weigh instead, and how much weight each one gets depends on the specifics of your marriage.
- The financial resources of the spouse asking for support, including what property they’re set to receive in the divorce.
- How much time and training that spouse needs before they can support themselves.
- The standard of living the two of you kept during the marriage.
- How long you were married.
- The age, physical condition, and financial obligations of the spouse requesting support.
- Whether the other spouse can pay support and still cover their own needs.
A judge doesn’t need to find that the requesting spouse is in financial need before awarding support. Need is one factor among several, not a gate that has to be cleared first.
Pursuing Support or Defending Against a Claim
If you’re the one asking for maintenance, we put together the financial picture a judge needs to see: your income history, what it would realistically cost to get back on your feet, and how the marriage’s standard of living compares to what you can afford alone.
If your spouse is asking for support and you think the amount or the length is off, we build the other side of that record, tax returns, pay stubs, and a realistic budget that shows what you can actually afford once the divorce is final.
When a Business or a Pension Complicates the Number
Support gets harder to calculate when income isn’t a steady paycheck. We regularly work through cases where one spouse owns a business, holds stock or equity, or has a pension that needs a QDRO before it can be divided, and each of those changes what “ability to pay” actually means on paper.
If the support question is part of a larger Kennewick divorce, we handle both pieces together so the income and property numbers stay consistent across the case.
For a longer explanation of how the state’s maintenance rules work, including temporary orders and modifications, read our guide on how spousal support works in Washington.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Spousal Support in Kennewick, WA
Do I have to be divorced already to ask for spousal support?
No. You can request temporary support while your case is still pending, and the judge can set a separate, sometimes different, amount once the divorce is final.
Can a support order be changed later if either of our incomes changes?
Usually, yes, if the order allows modification and the change is significant and wasn’t already expected when the order was written.
What happens if my spouse is self-employed or owns a business?
We look past the salary they pay themselves and dig into business records, tax filings, and cash flow to get an accurate picture of what they actually earn.
Does spousal support end if I remarry or move in with someone new?
Remarriage typically ends support automatically under Washington law. Moving in with a new partner doesn’t end it automatically, but it can be grounds to ask a court to reduce or end it.
Will I owe support if I earn more but didn't want the divorce?
Fault isn’t a factor Washington courts consider for maintenance. Support is based on financial need and ability to pay, not on who wanted the divorce.
What if I think my spouse is hiding income or assets?
Tell us early. We can use financial discovery tools, subpoenas, and, when needed, a forensic accountant to find income or assets that aren’t showing up on paper.
About Skyview Law
Jarrod Hays is the founder of Skyview Law. He graduated from Northwestern School of Law in 2008 and opened his practice shortly after that. Since then, Mr. Hays has served the Spokane community across a range of practice areas. He is a seasoned attorney with ample experience in family law, divorce, child custody, probate matters in Spokane, and everything in between.
Mr. Hays is a member of the American Institute of Legal Counsel, as well as several legal groups. He was rated as one of the 10 best attorneys under 40 for client satisfaction in Washington state.
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