In most situations, some divorces result in one spouse making steady spousal support payments to their ex-partner. After a while, many paying spouses want to get out of paying more alimony. Fortunately for them, it can be possible to make changes to the alimony arrangements, but that is dependent on the terms of the divorce and recent or relevant circumstances.
Not all types of alimony are meant to be permanent. For example, if the spousal support is given so that the receiving spouse has time to receive proper training/finish their education to get a new job, the alimony should end when they are able to begin supporting themselves. If the paying spouse wants to work out a way to avoid paying alimony of any type, it must be dealt with in the court.
As well-known and popular the idea of alimony is, statistics show that only 15 percent of all divorces cases end with some sort of spousal support court order. If the spousal support is to be paid in one lump sum, this payment is not up for debate concerning reduction or elimination. However, there are ways to reduce or end alimony altogether.
Here are some of the common successful arguments used:
– You, the paying spouse, is suddenly and without choice, becomes unemployed
– An illness or the like impedes the paying spouse to work, and therefore make money
– The receiving spouse is living with someone in an intimate relationship, so they are being supported elsewhere.
There are other arguments that have been used, like declaring bankruptcy, using current inflation or your rising cost of living as an excuse for not being able to pay or intentionally trying to lower your income, but these often do not sway a judge in your favor.