It’s finally over. The divorce settlement has been approved and the case is closed. You may think everything is now predictable for the future, but that’s not necessarily the case. Alimony is not set in stone. Anything from remarriage to health insurance coverage can affect alimony status and payment requirements. This is important to keep in mind. Here are 5 things that can change alimony payments in Massachusetts.

Remarriage

If recipient of alimony is remarried, then he/she is receiving financial support from a new spouse. There is really no reason for a previous spouse to continue providing additional financial support. Alimony effectively ends upon remarriage. Plain and simple – there is no way around this circumstance.

Cohabitation

Similarly, if the recipient of alimony has maintained a “common household” for at these three months with another person (other than the payer), alimony payments can be either reduced or terminated. It’s rare that a recipient of alimony would volunteer this information or initiate the process. Thus, the payer of alimony would normally do so but must provide corroborating evidence of the cohabitation.

Health Insurance

In some cases, one spouse may have access to health insurance while the other does not. As part of the divorce decree, the insured spouse may be ordered to continue providing health insurance, and perhaps covering the cost. The amount of alimony may be reduced, as a result. This applies to life insurance policies as well. The additional cost(s) to cover these benefits is factored in to the overall alimony payout. If you are a recipient, you may want to take this into consideration when evaluating your health insurance options as it may be less expensive to obtain your own insurance elsewhere.

Child Support

Alimony and child support payments often correlate with one another. The length of alimony is typically determined by the length of the marriage, except in cases where there is also child support. Additionally, the amount of alimony may also differ given the payer is also responsible for child support. Speak with your divorce attorney to better understand how the two figures may be calculated in relation to one another.

Income Change

While having a second job (or receiving overtime wages) will not affect or increase the amount of alimony required – if the alimony payer has a significant change in income or employment status, it can affect alimony payment. For instance, if the payer changes jobs and earns significantly less money, he/she may request a reduction in alimony.

More Things that Can Change Alimony Payments in Massachusetts

The above are just a few common examples of things that can change alimony payments in Massachusetts. Changes are not limited to this list. There are certainly other factors that can come into play, such as advanced age, chronic illness, or unusual health circumstances. The initial court order is based on known circumstances at the time. As life changes, so may alimony payments. If you have any questions about initial requests for alimony or requesting changes after divorce, please contact the divorce attorneys at Martino Law Group.