After a divorce, alimony terms are often agreed upon so that the financially dependent spouse can maintain his or her standard of living. However, in the months or years after a marriage, circumstances change and warrant a modification to alimony payments as well. Please read on and speak with our knowledgeable New Jersey family law attorneys today to learn more.
What warrants an increase in alimony payments in New Jersey?
It is not always easy for one party to have their alimony payments adjusted, which is why you must retain the services of an experienced New Jersey family law attorney who has helped countless individuals through the alimony modification process for years. That being said, there are several potential qualifying scenarios, and as long as you and your attorney can prove them, you stand a strong chance of receiving an increase in alimony payments. Some of those scenarios are as follows:
- The supporting party has received an increase in income, either due to a new job, a promotion, or otherwise. This is also true if the supporting party receives a large sum of money, such as an inheritance.
- The dependent party lost his or her home.
- The financially dependent party’s cost of living has increased.
- The dependent party has incurred significant medical bills, either due to an injury or a serious medical condition.
How do I decrease my alimony payments?
There are many reasons why former spouses will seek to lower their alimony payments in the months or years after their marriage, including some of the following:
- The financially dependent party has remarried.
- The financially dependent party received a job promotion or has come into a large amount of money.
- The financially dependent party is not sufficiently trying to become financially independent.
- The supporting party has retired.
- The supporting party lost their job or received a demotion and can no longer afford to make alimony payments.
How do I get the courts to modify my alimony payments in New Jersey?
While you may reach an agreement with your spouse without legal assistance via a “consent order,” this is not always the case. Oftentimes, former spouses disagree on what their alimony payments should be, and if this is the case with you, you will most likely have to file a request for an alimony modification with New Jersey courts. Our firm can help you prove that you truly require the modification so you can maintain your standard of living. Give us a call today.
Contact our experienced Bergen County firm
At Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients to understand and protect their legal rights before, during, and after the divorce process in towns across New Jersey and Bergen County, including Hackensack, Ridgewood, Paramus, Teaneck, and Fort Lee. To speak with our team of divorce lawyers today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your concerns about your divorce, please contact us online, or through our Hackensack, NJ office at (201) 397-1750.
