The initial outcome of your divorce can reshape your finances in a way that dictates your standard of living for a long time to come. While division of the marital estate can give you immediate access to necessary cash and other assets, it may not be enough to meet your needs. When that’s the case, alimony may be justified. Before you can secure an order for spousal support, though, you’ll have to demonstrate that you require the support to become self-sufficient. This is most often achieved by demonstrating sacrifices that were made during the marriage which allowed your spouse to advance their education or career.
But even the initial amount of spousal support that’s ordered may be insufficient to meet your needs as time goes on. There can be many reasons for this, including that your spouse simply lacked the income to meet your support needs. That’s why it’s important to keep tabs on your financial stability considering the alimony you receive, that way you know when it’s time to seek a spousal support modification.
You can’t just baldly assert that you need additional financial support and expect the court to order it. Instead, you need to gather and present evidence that supports your position. Here are some places to look for the evidence needed to back up your request:
- Financial records: The amount of alimony you receive could depend, at least in part, on how much money your spouse makes. If they’ve experienced a significant increase in income, or they’ve inherited a large sum of money, then it might be time to request a spousal support modification. Before doing so, though, you need to access those financial records so that you have a clear understanding of your spouse’s financial positioning heading into the modification hearing.
- Changes to parenting time: Although you’ve already hashed out custody, parenting time and child support issues, a change in how much time you and the other parent spend with your child can impact the amount of alimony you deserve. For example, if the other parent has relinquished their shared portion of physical custody, then you might be in a tough position to maintain full-time work while taking care of your child. This can warrant a modification of an existing spousal support order.
- The onset of a medical condition: If you’re subjected to a medical condition that makes it more difficult for you to work and become self-sufficient, then you might be a position to request an alimony modification. You’ll just need to be sure to show that you’ve sought treatment to try to mitigate the situation and demonstrate that you’re doing what you can to be as self-sufficient as possible.
- New needs: If you can show that you need additional support to become self-sufficient, such as funds to pay for additional education when your position at work has been eliminated and you need to make yourself more marketable, then modification may be warranted.
The amount of spousal support you receive can make a huge difference on the type of life you live post-divorce. It’s therefore imperative that you advocate for the resources you want and deserve. We know that can be stressful to think about, especially if your spouse will make the matter contentious, but you can find assistance that’ll help guide you through the process while protecting your interests.