Wage assignment order for unpaid maintenance — Contents — Amounts — Apportionment of disbursements.
RCW 26.18.090
in effect(1) The wage assignment order in RCW 26.18.080 for unpaid maintenance only shall include: (a) The maximum amount of current maintenance, if any, to be withheld from the obligor's earnings each month, or from each earnings disbursement; and (b) The total amount of the arrearage or reimbursement judgment previously entered by the court, if any, together with interest, if any. (2) The total amount to be withheld from the obligor's earnings each month, or from each earnings disbursement, shall not exceed fifty percent of the disposable earnings of the obligor. If the amounts to be paid toward the arrearage are specified in the maintenance order, then the maximum amount to be withheld is the sum of: Either the current support or maintenance ordered, or both; and the amount ordered to be paid toward the arrearage, or fifty percent of the disposable earnings of the obligor, whichever is less. (3) The provisions of RCW 6.27.150 do not apply to wage assignments for maintenance authorized under this chapter, but fifty percent of the disposable earnings of the obligor are exempt, and may be disbursed to the obligor. (4) If an obligor is subject to two or more attachments for maintenance on account of different obligees, the employer shall, if the nonexempt portion of the obligor's earnings is not sufficient to respond fully to all the attachments, apportion the obligor's nonexempt disposable earnings between or among the various obligees equally. An obligee may seek a court order reapportioning the obligor's nonexempt disposable earnings upon notice to all interested obligees. Notice shall be by personal service, or in the manner provided by the civil rules of superior court or applicable statute. (5) An income withholding order for unpaid child support or unpaid child support and unpaid maintenance shall meet federal requirements in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 666.
(1) The wage assignment order in RCW 26.18.080 for unpaid maintenance only shall include:
(a) The maximum amount of current maintenance, if any, to be withheld from the obligor's earnings each month, or from each earnings disbursement; and
(b) The total amount of the arrearage or reimbursement judgment previously entered by the court, if any, together with interest, if any.
(2) The total amount to be withheld from the obligor's earnings each month, or from each earnings disbursement, shall not exceed fifty percent of the disposable earnings of the obligor. If the amounts to be paid toward the arrearage are specified in the maintenance order, then the maximum amount to be withheld is the sum of: Either the current support or maintenance ordered, or both; and the amount ordered to be paid toward the arrearage, or fifty percent of the disposable earnings of the obligor, whichever is less.
(3) The provisions of RCW 6.27.150 do not apply to wage assignments for maintenance authorized under this chapter, but fifty percent of the disposable earnings of the obligor are exempt, and may be disbursed to the obligor.
(4) If an obligor is subject to two or more attachments for maintenance on account of different obligees, the employer shall, if the nonexempt portion of the obligor's earnings is not sufficient to respond fully to all the attachments, apportion the obligor's nonexempt disposable earnings between or among the various obligees equally. An obligee may seek a court order reapportioning the obligor's nonexempt disposable earnings upon notice to all interested obligees. Notice shall be by personal service, or in the manner provided by the civil rules of superior court or applicable statute.
(5) An income withholding order for unpaid child support or unpaid child support and unpaid maintenance shall meet federal requirements in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 666.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.18&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026