Is alimony considered a form of child support?

No, alimony and child support are two different types of legal payments. In Washington, alimony is a payment made by one spouse to the other during or after a divorce. This payment is made to help the spouse receiving the alimony financially as they transition to a new lifestyle. The spouse paying alimony typically has a higher income or financial means, and the payment is meant to provide a degree of financial stability for the dependant spouse. In contrast, child support is a payment made by one parent to the other to help pay for the children’s needs, including housing, food, medical care, and other related costs. Alimony is not the same as child support and typically does not contribute to the cost of raising the children. Alimony also does not automatically end when the dependant spouse remarries, whereas child support payments are typically terminated when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school.

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