Texas
Conservative educational estimate based on minimum reasonable need and ability to pay, capped at the lesser of $5,000 per month or 20% of payer gross monthly income.
$680/mo
Planning range: $544-$816/mo
Duration: 10 to under 20 years
State alimony comparison
Texas vs Washington Alimony Laws
Compare Texas and Washington alimony rules, formulas, duration limits, eligibility requirements, modification standards, and court discretion.
Reviewed by SettleCompass Research TeamUpdated June 2026Comparison guide
Educational content only
Recommended workflow
Compare the rules, then test the same facts in each state.
Start with the legal differences below, run one shared estimate scenario, then open each state guide for the detailed framework courts may apply.
Quick Comparison
Use this side-by-side data view as a starting point, then review the linked state law guides and calculators for deeper planning context.
| Factor | Texas | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Support term | spousal maintenance | spousal maintenance |
| Formula profile | limited-cap | discretionary |
| Property system | community | community |
| Legal framework | Temporary support may be awarded during the divorce proceeding under the court's equitable powers. Post-divorce spousal maintenance is governed by Chapter 8 of the Texas Family Code and is available only when specific statutory eligibility requirements are met. | Temporary maintenance may be awarded during a divorce or legal separation to preserve financial stability while the case is pending. Final maintenance is governed primarily by RCW 26.09.090 and is determined through judicial discretion rather than a mandatory statewide formula. |
| Statute citation | Texas Family Code Chapter 8 (§§ 8.001-8.305) | RCW 26.09.090; RCW 26.09.080; RCW 26.09.170 |
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Relocation planning, negotiation prep, and state-by-state estimate checks.
Use with
Texas and Washington calculators for same-fact estimates.
Remember
Support outcomes still depend on judge discretion, facts, and local procedure.
Same-facts estimate
Compare estimated support with one scenario
Use the same income and marriage facts to see how the planning estimate changes between Texas and Washington. This is educational, not a court prediction.
Moderate
Washington
Conservative educational estimate based on need, ability to pay, income disparity, marriage length, marital standard of living, financial resources, earning capacity, education or training needs, age, health, and Washington statutory factors; no mandatory statewide formula applies.
$1,467/mo
Planning range: $954-$1,980/mo
Duration: Medium to long marriage
Washington relies heavily on court discretion or limited eligibility rules, so this estimate should be treated as a broad planning range.
Key Differences
Calculation
Texas: Texas is a strict limited-eligibility maintenance state. Court-ordered spousal maintenance is not automatic and is available only if the requesting spouse lacks sufficient property to meet minimum reasonable needs and satisfies a statutory eligibility ground. Texas has no formula for the actual award amount, but it has a hard statutory maximum of the lesser of $5,000 per month or 20% of payer gross monthly income. Washington: Conservative educational estimate based on need, ability to pay, income disparity, marriage length, marital standard of living, financial resources, earning capacity, education or training needs, age, health, and Washington statutory factors; no mandatory statewide formula applies.
Duration
Texas: Texas generally requires maintenance to last only for the shortest reasonable period that allows the recipient to earn enough income to meet minimum reasonable needs. Maximum duration is generally 5 years for family-violence eligibility cases or marriages of at least 10 but less than 20 years, 7 years for marriages of at least 20 but less than 30 years, and 10 years for marriages of 30 years or more. Maintenance based on the recipient's disability or care of a disabled child may continue as long as the qualifying condition continues, subject to review. Washington: Washington has no fixed statutory duration formula. Short marriages often result in no maintenance or short transitional support. Medium-length marriages may support temporary or rehabilitative maintenance while a spouse becomes self-supporting. Long marriages may support longer maintenance, and in some cases maintenance intended to place the parties in roughly comparable post-divorce economic positions, but no duration is automatic. Duration depends on need, ability to pay, marriage length, standard of living, financial resources, education or training needs, age, health, and overall equity.
Modification
Texas: A maintenance order may be modified upon a material and substantial change in circumstances affecting either party. Any modified award remains subject to Texas statutory caps and limitations. Washington: Maintenance may be modified under RCW 26.09.170 upon a substantial change in circumstances unless the decree or agreement limits modification. Courts review changes affecting need, resources, employment, health, or ability to pay.
State Profiles
Texas
Texas uses the term spousal maintenance for court-ordered post-divorce support and imposes some of the nation's strictest eligibility requirements. Unlike many states, support is not presumed based solely on income disparity, and a spouse must first satisfy statutory eligibility thresholds before a court considers amount and duration.
Eligibility: A spouse generally must lack sufficient property after divorce to provide for minimum reasonable needs and satisfy at least one statutory ground. Common grounds include a marriage lasting 10 years or more combined with inability to earn sufficient income, a disabling condition, caregiving responsibilities for a disabled child, or recent family violence by the other spouse. The spouse seeking maintenance bears the burden of proving eligibility.
Washington
Washington refers to alimony as maintenance and gives courts broad discretion to set support in an amount and for a period the court finds just. RCW 26.09.090 directs courts to decide maintenance without regard to misconduct and after considering financial resources, education or training needs, marital standard of living, marriage duration, age and health, and the payer's ability to meet obligations. Washington is a community-property state, so property division under RCW 26.09.080 often affects the maintenance analysis.
Eligibility: A spouse or domestic partner may qualify if maintenance is just after considering the statutory factors and the financial realities of the case. Courts review the requesting party's resources, ability to meet needs independently, education or training timeline, and the other party's ability to pay while meeting personal obligations. Need is important, but Washington courts apply an equitable statutory-factor analysis rather than a strict threshold test.
Duration, Eligibility, and Modification
Duration Comparison
- Texas: 0-10 years, 10-20 years, 20 years to statutory maximum duration
- Washington: 0-5 years, 5-20 years, 20 years to potentially extended duration
Eligibility Comparison
- Texas: A spouse generally must lack sufficient property after divorce to provide for minimum reasonable needs and satisfy at least one statutory ground. Common grounds include a marriage lasting 10 years or more combined with inability to earn sufficient income, a disabling condition, caregiving responsibilities for a disabled child, or recent family violence by the other spouse. The spouse seeking maintenance bears the burden of proving eligibility.
- Washington: A spouse or domestic partner may qualify if maintenance is just after considering the statutory factors and the financial realities of the case. Courts review the requesting party's resources, ability to meet needs independently, education or training timeline, and the other party's ability to pay while meeting personal obligations. Need is important, but Washington courts apply an equitable statutory-factor analysis rather than a strict threshold test.
Modification Comparison
- Texas: A maintenance order may be modified upon a material and substantial change in circumstances affecting either party. Any modified award remains subject to Texas statutory caps and limitations.
- Washington: Maintenance may be modified under RCW 26.09.170 upon a substantial change in circumstances unless the decree or agreement limits modification. Courts review changes affecting need, resources, employment, health, or ability to pay.
Texas vs Washington Alimony FAQ
Why compare Texas and Washington alimony laws?
Alimony rules vary by state. Comparing two states helps readers understand differences in formulas, duration ranges, eligibility rules, modification standards, and judicial discretion before deeper research.
Are these comparison pages legal advice?
No. SettleCompass comparison pages are educational planning resources only and do not replace advice from a licensed family law attorney.
Can the same income produce different alimony estimates by state?
Yes. State formulas, income caps, duration rules, statutory factors, and judge discretion can produce different outcomes from the same basic facts.
What to review next
Compare Estimates With the Calculator
Use state-specific calculator pages to model the same income and marriage-length assumptions across both states.