People who have enjoyed financial stability during marriage often worry about their economic circumstances after divorce. In some cases, health complications, advanced age or years away from a career could prevent one spouse from themselves after they divorce.
If the courts agree that alimony is appropriate and necessary, they can order one spouse to provide regular financial support to the other after the divorce. Those obligations can impact the standard of living for the paying spouse.
People subject to alimony orders are often eager to limit what they have to pay if they can. Going back to family court to request a modification is one possible option for those frustrated by their alimony obligations. What scenarios might warrant a termination of alimony?
1. The recipient remarrying or cohabitating
An individual’s need for alimony stems largely from their inability to earn enough on their own to maintain an independent household. When they remarry, their new spouse can help cover their basic cost of living expenses.
As such, it is standard for people to terminate alimony payments after the recipient remarries. Even if they haven’t married their partner yet, proof of their cohabitation with a new romantic partner should be enough to convince the courts to reduce or eliminate alimony payments.
2. The recipient experiencing good fortune
Technically, any substantial change in circumstances could justify an alimony modification. If the recipient acquires a well-paid job or inherits enough property to live independently, their good fortune could affect the need for alimony. Proof of a substantial improvement in the financial circumstances of the recipient could convince a family law judge to reduce the alimony payment amounts or terminate the order early.
3. The payer facing job loss or other hardships
Sometimes, the paying party experiences a change in circumstances that could affect their ability to afford alimony. Perhaps they lost their job due to economic changes and have no credible prospects on the immediate horizon.
Maybe they experience some kind of medical emergency that generates medical costs and also affects their capability to work. In scenarios where the party paying alimony has a major negative shift in circumstances, the courts may need to reconsider the alimony order.
Reviewing the terms of the order and the changes in family circumstances can help people determine if a modification is possible. Spouses can sometimes decrease or end their alimony payments after their situations change.
