People mainly tend to think of ex-wives receiving spousal support from men, but the roles can be reversed depending on the circumstances. A Divorce Attorney in Sumner WA may sometimes believe it is in her male client’s best interests to ask for spousal support, at least for a limited time. Some men are embarrassed at this prospect and don’t want to go that route, even if not receiving the payments would put them into financial hardship.
A Transition Time
It’s uncommon these days for either spouse to have to pay support to the ex for many years. The courts have increasingly viewed those payments as a transition time. It’s a way for the other person to get job training or settled in a new position that will pay a living wage.
Sometimes this isn’t feasible, such as when the couple had agreed originally that one of them would be a homemaker and not work. After 30 or more years of marriage, it could be very difficult for this person to get back into the job market at a high enough rate to pay all the bills and live comfortably.
How This Works
Traditionally, women have taken on this role in the family, but men might do so when the woman can make significantly more money. A Divorce Attorney in Sumner WA can help the male client work out a short-term support arrangement that helps him get on his feet financially. If there are still young children at home, the father may be the person who is granted primary physical custody since he has been the main caretaker while the wife has been working full-time. He then would receive child support payments from the ex-wife as well.
The divorce documentation, as filed with the court by a lawyer such as Kevin G. Byrd, will include a termination date for the spousal support if it is not intended to be ongoing. The timing might be anywhere from six months to two years. The person then has time to acquire training at a technical school or community college to get a full-time job that pays a reasonable hourly rate.
