Can you modify spousal support?

When California residents divorce, there are several matters to tend to. For example, you must decide how to handle matters of spousal support. In most cases, the person making the most must make payments to their ex-partner. But what happens if your financial situations change?

Financial matters change all throughout life. The courts are aware of this. Because of this awareness, they allow residents to request spousal support modification. But do you qualify?

Making a request to modify support orders

The California Courts talk about requirements for changing or ending spousal support orders. You cannot request a claim for any reason at all. The court will only honor certain requests that they feel fit the requirements. In most cases, the requests they accept have to do with changes to financial situations.

Requesting reductions or additions

Modification requests may ask for an increase or decrease in payment. For example, let us say you are the supporting spouse. You suffered a recent job loss or pay reduction. Or let us say your ex-partner remarried. They are now part of a multi-income household. In either of these cases, you can ask for the court to reduce support payments. You can argue that you no longer make enough to pay the old amount. You can also argue that your ex-partner makes enough that they no longer need the same support.

Now, let us say you are the spouse receiving support. Let us say you are the one who suffered job loss or pay reduction. You can request for your ex-spouse to pay more to help support you through this period. If your spouse marries into another family, they may request a reduction. This is because they have other people to support. You can also request a reduction if you come into more money or otherwise do not need the support.