You may be making spousal maintenance payments to support your ex after divorce. This is a normal aspect of many divorce settlement agreements. But what do you do when you are struggling to make alimony payments or you see your former spouse living with someone who can financially support him or her?
According to Arizona support laws, there are certain circumstances in which you may file a petition to reduce or terminate your spousal support. Here are some situations that may call for an alimony modification.
1. Cohabitation
You may be able to modify your spousal support if your ex-spouse starts living with someone else. If he or she is living with and in an intimate relationship with someone, he or she is cohabiting. In this situation, your former spouse likely has less of a need for your financial support.
2. Financial emergency
Did you get in a car accident? Do you have large medical bills? Did you lose your job? Any unexpected emergency may make it possible for you to lower your payments. However, the decrease or suspension of payments may only be temporary.
3. New obligations
If you remarry and have a new child, you may find it difficult to make your current payments and meet your new obligations. Because of this, you may be able to get the court to reduce the supportive payments you make to your ex. However, this usually does not apply if you voluntarily take responsibility for stepchildren.
4. Disability
If you become unable to support yourself due to a serious mental or physical condition, you may be able to modify your payments.
5. Mutual agreement
You may be able to come to an agreement with your ex-spouse to modify the terms of your spousal maintenance agreement. If you pursue this, make sure you get help from an attorney and have a judge sign it to make sure it is enforceable.