Legal Question in Family Law in Washington

Re: Legal rights during a seperation

I will presume that by separating you mean legal separation. If that is what you are doing you will get a separation decree, and you can get a parenting plan and support order. Your not working (for money) on a short term basis be accepted by the court (and you could get spousal maintenance), but in the long run you will be expected to work, and if you don't you will have imputed income charged against you for calculating child support.

The names on the accounts does not affect the legal interest that results fromt his being a community property state (you have shared interests in liabilities and assets). Where it gets trickey is in how to divide it up and as of what date (often the date of separation is chosen, but others can be used) and in what shares (often the person in the weaker financial situation will get a larger share of the assets or a smaller share of the debts).