Splitsville News

Here is a story about the highest-value divorce award in Canadian history.  A 61-year-old woman has been awarded $110,00 per month following the end of her 33-year marriage.  While this sounds like a lot, her husband earns $4 million per year (or $333,333 per month).  The judge stated that Ms. Elgner “should not have to eradicate her savings to pay for her living expenses” and recognized that Ms. Elgner had sacrified a career to be a stay-at-home mother and wife. In Washington, the same logic generally applies.  By statute, a court is to consider the following factors, and may consider others as well:

(a) The financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, including separate or community property apportioned to him or her, and his or her ability to meet his or her needs independently, including the extent to which a provision for support of a child living with the party includes a sum for that party;
(b) The time necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the party seeking maintenance to find employment appropriate to his or her skill, interests, style of life, and other attendant circumstances;
(c) The standard of living established during the marriage or domestic partnership;
(d) The duration of the marriage or domestic partnership;
(e) The age, physical and emotional condition, and financial obligations of the spouse or domestic partner seeking maintenance; and
(f) The ability of the spouse or domestic partner from whom maintenance is sought to meet his or her needs and financial obligations while meeting those of the spouse or domestic partner seeking maintenance.