Among disgruntled ex-husbands spousal maintenance, or “alimony”, is not a popular subject. Many people think that because they actually earned money during a marriage, that that money all belongs to them after a divorce. Bellevue family law attorneys will tell you that times have changed since the days where the breadwinner simply walked away from a divorce leaving an untrained, inexperienced housewife to fend for herself.

By today’s standards, it is easy to see why courts would order spousal maintenance to be paid under similar conditions. However, according to Bellevue family law attorneys the legal concept also has to do with recognizing each party’s contribution to a household during the course of a marriage. Marriage is more and more seen as a financial partnership comprised of domestic and market labor. When two people marry, they enter into a kind of obligation to support one another. If during the marriage one party consistently performs domestic labor and becomes dependant upon the other party’s income, that party is entitled to support while he or she reestablishes skills in the market.

Bellevue family law attorneys also notice that husbands are receiving spousal maintenance from wives more than they used to. With women generally more established in the work place than they were forty years ago, more men perform domestic labor, sometimes to the point where they need spousal maintenance to get back to work, according to Bellevue family law attorneys. Particularly in the progressive climate of the Northwest where companies like Microsoft do not hesitate to pay women high salaries for their skills, do men put their careers on hold and then need a way to get back to work after divorce.

While Bellevue family law attorneys see that changes have occurred, more changes are in the future. While the law provides for spousal maintenance under fair circumstances, many men are still adverse to paying it, increasing litigation and increasing fees paid to Bellevue family law attorneys. Family law is tough because it is emotional and economic all at once. The Bellevue family law attorneys at McKinley Irvin have had their finger on the pulse of Washington State family law for over two decades. We have handled hundreds of spousal maintenance cases and can answer your questions about your case. Contact one of our expert Bellevue family law attorneys today and get some answers to your divorce questions.