how to fill out a petition to terminate alimony without a lawyer

by Ignatius McLaughlin 5 min read

Can alimony be terminated by the court?

Jul 23, 2014 ¡ Alimony award and original motion was based on the premise that the lifestyle of living was in a basement apartment and being unable to afford the basics of cable and internet. Now the recipient of the alimony lives in a luxury condo that was purchased and closed on 2 weeks after the final decree. No discovery on his part was provided.

How do I stop alimony payments after divorce?

May 15, 2021 ¡ Contact our North and South Carolina offices, and will be glad to go over your options and possible outcomes for your case. Call our toll-free number at 888-748-5464 (KING) or request a consultation online by completing a request form. We also recommend that you read Grounds for Alimony Termination. Previous Post

What do I do if my alimony letter doesn’t work?

Nov 24, 2019 · If the spouse receiving alimony wants to extend alimony beyond the designated termination date, they must request a modification of alimony before the termination date. Requesting that alimony continue after the designated termination date will not be effective. If the spouse making alimony payments can prove one of the automatic conditions or financial …

What do I need to file a motion for alimony?

May 21, 2019 · Filing your motion to modify alimony. The next step, if the letter doesn’t work, is to file a motion to terminate or modify your alimony. That motion needs to have many things attached, depending on the reason, but at a minimum, it has to have the agreement or court order for the alimony.

How do I stop alimony payments in California?

Termination or Modification of Alimony in California You can sign a formal agreement and file it with your divorce court to modify or terminate alimony. If your ex-spouse disagrees, you should file a motion to modify or terminate alimony with the court that granted your divorce. (Cal. Fam.

How do I stop alimony payments in Illinois?

In Illinois, the paying spouse's obligation to pay alimony terminates when the supported spouse begins cohabiting with another person. The paying spouse will need to file a motion to terminate support and prove cohabitation. In Illinois, cohabitation means that two people live together in a marriage-like relationship.

How do I modify my alimony in Arizona?

In Arizona, a modification of spousal maintenance may only be granted when a substantial and continuing change of circumstances is shown. On appeal, the Court of Appeals had to determine whether or not the Husband met the burden of proof validating the trial court's modification.Apr 20, 2016

Can alimony be modified in Florida?

Under Florida divorce law §61.14, alimony payments may be modified by a Florida family law court if there is a substantial change in circumstances of either party. The modification can either increase, decrease, or terminate the alimony paid to an ex-spouse.

When can spousal maintenance end?

This reciprocal duty of support comes to an end on termination of the marriage, whether by death or divorce. However, in divorce situations, the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 makes provision for court orders relating to maintenance.

Can a maintenance order be Cancelled?

Maintenance does not stop at 18 Most people believe that maintenance stops when a child becomes a major. This is wrong in law. A parents' duty to support their child does not terminate when the child becomes a major, when the child turns 18 years old, but only when they become self supporting.Nov 14, 2019

How is alimony calculated in AZ?

The formula provided the alimony award should be between 30% to 50% of the length of the marriage. There are many factors affecting whether the duration should be closer to 30% or 50% of the length of the marriage. This formula for calculating spousal maintenance is very simplistic.

How do I enforce spousal support in Arizona?

Under A.R.S. § 25-508, recipient spouses who have not received owed spousal support payments can file a petition to enforce the orders with the court. After the petition is filed, a hearing will be scheduled.

Can permanent alimony be terminated in Florida?

Modification or Termination of Alimony Florida permanent alimony can be modified or terminated if there is an unanticipated, substantial, material, and involuntary change in the circumstances of either party, that was not contemplated for at the time the alimony was awarded.Sep 23, 2020

How do I reduce alimony in Florida?

As long as alimony was awarded in the original divorce decree, Section 61.14 of the Florida Statutes provides that most types of alimony may be modified or terminated when there has been an unexpected, involuntary, and substantial change in circumstances that affects the former spouse's ability to pay, or the other ...Feb 9, 2019

Does permanent alimony end at retirement in Florida?

Andrade's bill removes the ability to use adultery as a factor of determining alimony payments. Additionally, if the spouse paying alimony, the obligor, reaches retirement age before the end of the alimony duration, a court may choose to let alimony end upon retirement.Feb 22, 2022

How to terminate alimony?

1. Hire a lawyer. It is imperative that you hire a lawyer if you are planning on filing a motion to terminate alimony. When you file a motion, you are asking the court to apply a certain set of laws to the facts of your case in order to come to a conclusion in your favor.

What happens if you don't agree with a judge's decision?

If you do not agree with the judge's decision, you may be able to appeal the decision to a higher court. You can only appeal if the judge made some legal error. Regardless, when the judge makes a decision, he or she will draft an order, which is legally binding. Keep a copy of this order for your records.

Can you garnish your wages?

Make sure your wages are no longer being garnished. In some circumstances your wages may be garnished in order to pay for your spouse's alimony . If your spousal support order terminates and your wages were being garnished, you will need to take additional steps to stop the garnishment.

Can spousal support be modified?

For example, some spousal support orders expressly state that it cannot be modified. Spousal support orders cannot be changed if both parties have agreed that it cannot be terminated.

Can a court modify a spousal support order?

Be prepared to show the judge why the existing order should be ended. A court can only modify a spousal support order if there has been a material change in circumstances since the last order was entered into. The court will look at all of the facts and circumstances when making this decision.

Can alimony be changed?

Spousal support (a.k.a., alimony) orders are generally modifiable, which means they can be changed and even ended. In order to end alimony, you must be able to show the court that you or your ex-spouse's circumstances have changed to such an extent that alimony is no longer needed. In almost every state, if not all, you can end alimony two ways.

How does alimony end?

Alimony can be terminated automatically if certain circumstances and conditions arise. For example, alimony may automatically terminate if the spouse receiving payments: 1 Dies; 2 Remarries; 3 Cohabitates (which means they move in with a new significant other); or 4 Becomes financially independent or self-supporting.

What is alimony in divorce?

Alimony, or spousal support, refers to financial payments made by one spouse to the other in the event of a legal separation or divorce. Alimony is often intended, depending on the rules of the state you live in, to help the spouse receiving payments maintain their pre-divorce lifestyle. They also help allow the spouse sufficient time ...

Can alimony be renewed?

No. Once alimony is terminated, it cannot be renewed or resurrected. It is completely over for both parties. If the spouse receiving alimony wants to extend alimony beyond the designated termination date, they must request a modification of alimony before the termination date.

Is alimony permanent?

However, alimony payments are not necessarily permanent. Alimony can be terminated automatically if certain circumstances and conditions arise. For example, alimony may automatically terminate if the spouse receiving payments: Dies; Remarries; Cohabitates (which means they move in with a new significant other); or.

What to do if alimony doesn't work?

The next step, if the letter doesn’t work, is to file a motion to terminate or modify your alimony. That motion needs to have many things attached, depending on the reason, but at a minimum it has to have the agreement or court order for the alimony. It has to have the original or last case information saying that it was filed during the divorce by both parties, and any other financial information that existed then, as well as support for the reason that you need the modification.

What is rehabilitation alimony?

Rehabilitation alimony is used to help a spouse who is economically disadvantaged during a relationship to get back on his or her feet. That can be extended or modified if the issues that were anticipated do not occur.

Why do you need a modification?

Loss of a job, being out of work, medical disabilities, and anything else that’s going to cause a substantial change in either your income or a substantial increase in the other party’s income. Those are the basic reasons to seek a modification.

How long does it take to get divorced?

You’re going to go through almost everything you did for a divorce, and it’s going to take about a year. That can be very long and very expensive.

Can you modify alimony?

First you have open durational alimony, which can be modified for many reasons with no great limitations. Then there’s reimbursement alimony, which is for the compensation of a spouse that helped another spouse obtain a valuable learning degree or some other valuable asset.

Can you modify cohabitation?

Cohabitation is a unique and troublesome case in that it’s difficult to prove, but the recent amendments from 2014 allow you to modify or terminate cohabitation if you prove cohabitation. But the other party can return if that cohabitation ends, which is problematic because it gives them the option of just kicking the person out of the house and going back for alimony if they lose.

Can alimony be terminated?

In that case, there may be an alimony obligation that cannot be terminated because each type of alimony has a different modification ground. If you cannot terminate the duration, you can eliminate the dollar amount. That will end the obligation, but it’s technically a modification in that case.

How to terminate alimony?

The first and easiest way to terminate alimony payments is by voluntary termination. This can happen in a couple of different ways. The couple can agree that alimony payments terminate after a set period of time or after a triggering event, like the lesser earning spouse finding full time employment. The couple can also agree at any time after the divorce that alimony payments are no longer needed and voluntarily agree to terminate payments from one spouse to the other.

Can alimony be terminated in Florida?

There is one other situation where the paying spouse can petition the court to terminate alimony payments to their former spouse, and this occurs when the receiving spouse is cohabitating, but not married to, another person. Florida law defines cohabitation as a living arrangement where the spouse receiving alimony is living with, and receiving financial assistance from, another person that is not related by blood or marriage. The court looks at a number of factors when determining whether a living situation rises to the level of cohabitation:

Does alimony end after divorce in Florida?

Florida state law also provides for situations where alimony automatically terminates after a divorce. The first statutory situation is upon the death of either spouse. Alimony payments are between spouses, not their estates, and the spouses’ heirs are not entitled to that money. Therefore, if either former spouse dies the payments automatically terminate. The second situation where alimony terminates automatically is upon the remarriage of the spouse receiving alimony payments. Because that spouse will be receiving financial support from their new spouse, the alimony is no longer necessary.

How to file for divorce without a lawyer?

To file for a divorce without a lawyer, you will have to fill out the divorce forms, such as the petition for divorce and the divorce settlement agreement. Most states offer uncontested divorce forms that you can download or get in your country courthouse. Once you get them, you will have to:

What are the requirements for an uncontested divorce?

To be eligible for one, you will need to meet the following requirements: You and your spouse should agree on all issues, such as: Division of property. Child custody and child support. Parenting time and taxes. Your spouse has not retained an attorney. Neither party is in the military.

What is the advantage of DoNotPay?

Using DoNotPay comes with plenty of advantages, the main one being that you can resolve just about anything in a matter of clicks. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

Do you have to be physically separated to get a divorce?

Some states will ask that you are physically separated from your spouse for a while before filing for the divorce, or you may need to provide proof of residency.

Is divorce free online?

Various online agencies offer divorce preparation services and agreement templates, and some of them are even free. Before choosing an agency for an online divorce, you will need to do a thorough check on them. Make sure you get the correct forms and that the agreement is fair to both you and your spouse.

Does my spouse have an attorney?

Your spouse has not retained an attorney. Neither party is in the military. Neither one of you has substantial investments. There cannot be: Many marital assets to be distributed. A need for alimony. Any pension and retirement plans to distribute. History of domestic violence in your marriage.

When does child support end?

 For child support orders entered on or after July 1, 1997, unless a court finds that a child is otherwise emancipated, emancipation occurs and child support terminates when the child attains nineteen years of age unless one or more of the following conditions exist:

How much is the filing fee for juvenile support?

filing fee of $105.00 is required, unless you are filing your motion in a juvenile support case under Title 19, Article 6 or the motion/stipulation is being filed less than 60 days after the original decree or order is issued.

Do standard instructions constitute legal advice?

These standard instructions are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice about your case. If you choose to represent yourself, you are bound by the same rules and procedures as an attorney.