When spouses get divorced, often, one spouse makes more than the other spouse. Courts in California recognize that often, the financially dependent spouse will require spousal support, also known as alimony, to maintain their standard of living after a divorce. That said, spousal support is often among the most hotly-contested issues in a divorce, as the spouse who has to pay it often feels as though they’re being asked to pay too much, or that their spouse doesn’t really need alimony at all. If you’re currently paying alimony, and have been for some time, you may wonder whether you’ll ever be allowed to stop making these payments. Please continue reading and reach out to a seasoned Los Angeles divorce attorney to learn more about when you’re allowed to discontinue alimony payments and how our legal team can help.
When can I stop making spousal support payments in Los Angeles, California?
The first thing you should understand is that there are two types of spousal support here in California–temporary and long-term. Temporary spousal support is awarded to spouses who, for example, are currently unemployed, and the financial support will be instated until they find gainful employment and can support themselves. That said, if your spouse was awarded spousal support and you can prove that there has been a significant change in circumstances since that time, warranting a modification to or termination of the spousal support agreement, you may do so through a post-judgment modification. Just some examples of situations that may qualify for a post-judgment modification are as follows:
- Your ex got a higher-paying job and no longer requires support
- Your ex received a large inheritance or otherwise came into a large sum of money and no longer requires support
- Your ex remarried and no longer requires support
- You’ve developed a serious medical condition that requires costly treatment and can no longer afford to pay support
- You lost your job due to no fault of your own (such as company-wide layoffs) and can no longer afford to pay support
These are just some of the circumstances that may warrant a modification to an existing support order. If you have any other questions about how alimony works here in the state of California, please don’t hesitate to speak with our knowledgeable Los Angeles spousal support attorneys today.
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