Can alimony be awarded if the couple was never married?

In Washington, alimony can be awarded to a party in a domestic partnership even if the couple was never married. Alimony, or spousal support, is money that one party pays to the other after the relationship is dissolved, either through divorce or legal separation. It is typically awarded to the lower-income partner, who depends on it to help maintain their lifestyle. In Washington, alimony is available to any couple who is involved in a domestic partnership, regardless of marriage status. Domestic partnerships are defined as two people who share a common residence, have a joint financial and economic relationship, and are not related by blood. Alimony for domestic partnerships is awarded in much the same way as it is for married couples, by taking into account factors such as length of the relationship, income disparity between partners, financial contributions to the relationship, and responsibility for providing for a dependent child. Domestic partners have access to the same alimony laws as married couples and the court takes into account the same factors when considering an alimony award. Thus, alimony in Washington can be awarded to partners in a domestic relationship, even if they were never legally married.

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Can alimony be awarded if the couple was never married?

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