Yes. Courts very commonly change spousal support orders to account for changes in both people's lives, such as:
- A new marriage for either spouse.
- A new child or financial obligation for either spouse.
- Loss of a job for the payer.
- A new job for the payee.
You may be able to negotiate directly with your ex for an informal drop in your payments. However, it's always best to back that up with a court order as soon as possible, in case the other spouse changes his or her mind. In order to change your payments, you'll have to file a former petition with the court in the state where you got divorced. In that petition, you will have to show that there's been a significant change in your circumstances. If the other person has already agreed to the change and is willing to say so in court, this can be a very short process.
You can also make this petition in cases where the other spouse doesn't want the change. If that's the case, you can expect it to take longer, and you may have to go to court. |
