Alimony, also known as spousal support, can play a critical role in making the outcome of a divorce as fair as possible. If one spouse made professional sacrifices for the family or if the spouses have vastly different incomes or personal holdings, the courts may award the spouse with fewer resources and less income alimony.
Factors, including the income of both spouses and the standard of living during the marriage, may influence the amount of alimony that the courts impose and also the duration of the alimony orders. In some cases, the spouse paying can ask the courts to terminate alimony early or reduce how much they pay.
Does a new relationship provide the basis for an alimony modification?
Not every relationship affects alimony
Relationship status can have an impact on alimony. After all, long-term, committed partners often provide one another with financial support. If the paying spouse decides to remarry or begin supporting a new romantic partner, their new financial commitments do not absolve them of their financial obligation to their former spouse.
However, the matter is different when the recipient spouse is the one who has a new relationship. Under Michigan alimony statutes, a modification is possible if the recipient spouse remarries.
In some cases, long-term relationships that evolve into cohabitation can also theoretically impact alimony obligations. Other changes, including fluctuations in income, can also potentially justify requests to review and modify an alimony order.
Significant changes in circumstances can warrant reviewing and potentially altering an alimony or spousal support order. Reviewing the order and the change in circumstances can help people determine if going back to family court is a viable option.