What is a divorce modification?

When you’ve finalized your divorce, there is still the chance that you will need to modify that divorce settlement in the future. People’s lives change, and that means that you may need to make adjustments to child support, spousal support, family court orders or other arrangements after your divorce has occurred.

There are many reasons why you may need to alter your final divorce settlement. Some may include:

• Getting a new job
• Losing a job
• Getting a promotion
• Relocating
• Getting demoted
• Suffering an injury resulting in disability

…and many others as well. If you need to change your divorce settlement, then it’s important that you understand your legal rights and responsibilities.

If your circumstances change, can you alter spousal support payments?

It’s possible that, in some cases, you could alter your spousal support payments if you have lost your job or if new information is discovered about your ex-spouse hiding assets, for example. You may also be able to stop spousal support payments if your ex-spouse marries someone new. This is something to discuss with your attorney and to review if and when it occurs.

Is it normal to change child custody arrangements?

It is relatively normal to change custody arrangements if you’ve had a major change in your life. For instance, if you have gotten a promotion that now requires you to work more hours, you may need to ask for a modification of custody to make time for work and to switch the days when you care for your child. Similarly, if you lose a job, you may ask to watch your child more while the other parent adjusts their schedule or simply because you have more time to spend with them as you job search.

There are all kinds of reasons why you may change your divorce settlement once you’ve moved on to your life as a single person. Don’t be afraid to revisit your settlement if it’s not working for you any longer, because some aspects of that settlement may be able to be renegotiated and altered in a way that makes it easier for you to keep up with your obligations.