Spousal support in California was designed to allow you and your ex-spouse to maintain a specific quality of life that you were accustomed to while married. These payments, known as alimony, are not meant to last forever. To determine how much you are responsible for paying, the California Family Code Section 4320 defines a number of factors that help the judge arrive at the figure you are to pay. But what happens when the factors used to come up with that figure change?
Here are four of the most common circumstances that may help you lower or eliminate your California alimony payments:
1.Your income is reduced. Whether you have just been laid off, you are self-employed and your business has been affected by the recession, or you simply took a pay cut at your current job, a reduction in your income level impacts your ability to pay what you once could.
2.Your hours are lowered. The court requires that you work a reasonable work regimen in order to make alimony payments. If your hours have been lowered, but you are still working what the court determines to be a reasonable work regimen, you may be eligible to lower your payments to your ex-husband.
3.Your ex-husband begins living with a new lover. Once your ex has begun to cohabitate with another person, he may no longer be in need of your financial support.
4.You have proof your spouse no longer needs spousal support. After a period of time, your ex-husband must become self-sufficient. If you do not believe that your former spouse needs the support money you are sending his way each month, you can file for elimination of this support.
If you feel that you may be eligible to have your spousal support payment lowered, putting the help of a San Francisco spousal support attorney on your side can help. The process is complex and to ensure you get the results you believe you are entitled to, a lawyer knowledgeable in California family law can be your solution. Connect to the Law Offices of Paul H. Nathan today at 866-414-4091 for further guidance.
