06 Jan Reasons You Might Be Able To Reduce Your Alimony Payments
When you get a divorce, one spouse will often make alimony payments to the other. The courts will order spousal support so that your ex-spouse can return to the lifestyle they had prior to your marriage. However, if you are looking to reduce your alimony payments, there are several reasons you might be able to do this. Below we list the common reasons an individual would use to help modify their spousal support agreement.
You Lost Your Job, or Your Income Decreased
One of the most common reasons you might consider modifying your alimony payments is if you recently lost your job or your income has decreased. However, if you voluntarily reduce your income or quit your job, this will not be an adequate reason for a reduction, and the courts will likely decline your request.
Your Ex-Spouse Now Makes More Money
Washington courts can only reduce alimony if the individual requesting a reduction provides proof of a substantial change in circumstances. For example, if your ex-spouse made minimum wage while going to school but now makes more than you after the divorce, you may be able to minimize your payments. Remember that you will need concrete evidence that this change has occurred for the court to reduce payments.
Your Ex-Spouse Remarries
There might come a time when your ex-spouse marries someone else. When this happens, the court will likely terminate the remaining alimony payments, and you are no longer required to pay. This situation would be your best-case scenario because your payments would end altogether.
You Become Disabled
Perhaps down the road, after your divorce, you become disabled due to an accident. If this accident affected your ability to generate the same income, this is a significant reason you might be able to reduce your alimony payments. These accidents are almost always unanticipated, making it easier to modify payments.
Remember, you cannot premeditate these scenarios, or the Washington court system will deem your request for reducing payments unacceptable. You must have substantial proof of the change in your financial situation or your ex-spouses to modify your alimony. Consider working with one of our spousal support attorneys at LaCoste Family Law if you need assistance with reducing your spousal support agreement.