If spousal support was ordered as part of the Divorce Decree or Judgment, either party may have the right to seek a support modification of the terms so long as the award was not deemed non-modifiable originally.
What Is A Support Modification?
Spousal support is designed to provide the lower-income spouse with money for living expenses regardless of gender. The existence, amount, and duration of monthly spousal support payments will be defined either by the court or a settlement agreement.
Who Can Qualify For A Support Modification?
Because of the importance of support payments, modification most often requires the filing parent to show a significant change in circumstances.
For the paying parent, this commonly takes the form of a drop in income, often due to job loss.
The receiving ex-spouse can seek an adjustment if the payer’s income has risen substantially.
Conversely, the payer may seek to reduce or terminate spousal support if the ex-spouse has remarried or achieved financial independence.
Related Reading: An In-Depth Look At How Spousal Support Works In Washington State
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