Spousal Support Modification

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 support payments are important, 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 become financially independent.