Spousal Support: When A Request May Need To Be Made For A Reduction

Posted on: 10 June 2016

Circumstances hardly ever the stay the same. This is especially true after a divorce. When you got a divorce a few years back, you were ordered by the court to pay alimony to your ex-spouse. At the time, you were employed, but you recently lost your job. Or maybe you didn't have a new wife and baby as you do now. The thing is that your life has changed and your currently ability to make the payments has changed from the time that you got divorced to right now. So, you want to know whether you can legally request for a decrease in payments. Luckily, there are certain circumstances that warrant a spousal support reduction.

Changes in Your Circumstances

  • Lose Your Job – If you suffer a reduction in your usual income, such as your hours are cut at work, or you lose your job completely, the court will typically recalculate the amount of alimony that you pay. However, once your hours are back to normal or you find a new job, you will need to inform the court so that the spousal support can be reinstated to its original amount.
  • Suffer a Disabling Injury – Injuries can occur at any time and they can often be severe enough that they disable you. When this happens, the court will often grant you relief with your spousal support payments.
  • Have a Baby – The third reason you can request a reduction from the court is when you have a baby, which is a financial obligation that you did not have when you first agreed to pay the spousal support.

Changes in Your Ex's Circumstances

  • Gets a Job – More than likely, you are paying alimony because your ex-spouse did not work throughout the marriage. So, after the divorce, if your ex ends up getting a job at some point or experiences a substantial growth in their monthly finances, this may be a way to reduce your payments or possibly even put an end to your spousal support altogether.
  • Moves in with Another Individual – If your ex-spouse has recently moved in with someone, you may be able to get a reduction in your support payments. This is because they'll be receiving financial help with the person that they moved in with and will be relying less on you.
  • Remarry – In the event that your ex decides to remarry, you will likely be able to get rid of the alimony payments completely. You will no longer be responsible for your ex-spouse under any circumstances. That will be up to the new spouse!

If you're interested in requesting a spousal support reduction, consult with an experienced attorney. For more information, check out the site or do an online search. 

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