What are Reasons to Reduce Alimony?
Paying alimony to your former spouse after divorce never gets easier. In most situations in fact, it becomes worse as you continue to make payments to someone long after the divorce is over. Fortunately, the Florida courts recognize that a person’s circumstances may change and when they do, it may be reason to reduce the amount of alimony payments they are required to pay. Below are the five most common reasons people request the court to reduce their court ordered alimony payments.
You Now Have a Lower Income
Maybe you have lost your job, or your job relies on commission and the market is not currently in good shape. Whatever the reason is, you can ask the court to reduce your alimony payments if you are no longer receiving the same income as when going through the divorce. If you believe that the situation is temporary, you can ask the court to change the order temporarily. However, if you do not foresee yourself making as much income in the future, you can request a permanent reduction in alimony payments, or ask the court to stop the payments altogether.
Your Former Spouse is Earning More Income
Just as you can request for a change in alimony payments when there is a change in your income, you can also ask for a modification to the order when your former spouse’s earning power changes. Alimony is meant to support a spouse financially after a divorce if they are unable to support themselves. When they show that they can earn a significant amount of income, a court may reduce or terminate the alimony order.
Your Spouse Receives an Inheritance, Gift, or Award
The financial support your former spouse relies on does not necessarily have to be their income. When your ex receives a large inheritance, gift, or award that places them in a better position financially, you can ask the court to reopen your case and modify the terms of the alimony order.
Your Former Spouse Remarries or Lives with Someone Else
The courts will assume that if your ex remarries or moves in with someone else, that person will help financially support them, just as you did when the two of you were married. As such, when your former spouse enters into a serious romantic relationship with someone and they at least cohabitate, you can ask the court to terminate the alimony order.
You are Retiring
Even when you have retirement savings, there is a good chance that you will not have as much income once you retire. You do not have to necessarily liquidate your savings to pay alimony, but the court will consider what you are receiving during retirement as your ‘new’ income and will use that to calculate your payments. Once the courts do this, you may find that your alimony payments are much less.
Call Our Florida Family Lawyers for Help Reducing Your Alimony Payments
If you have been paying alimony and the financial situation of you or your former spouse has changed, our Tampa family lawyers can help. At All Family Law Group, P.A., our knowledgeable attorneys will advise on how to petition the court for an alimony modification and help you through the entire process so you have the best chance of success. Call us today at (813) 672-1900 or contact us online to arrange a free consultation with one of our skilled attorneys.
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