Life naturally changes over time, and your support agreement can adapt too. In Connecticut, periodic alimony can often be modified after divorce if you have a substantial change in circumstances and your original decree or agreement allows changes.
When can courts modify alimony?
The person asking for the change must usually show that the facts have changed enough to justify a modification. A court may look at changes in income, employment, health or financial needs. If the court finds a substantial change, it may then adjust the alimony order.
What factors matter most?
Courts generally can modify alimony only if the moving party proves a substantial change in circumstances. The original judgment or settlement agreement may also limit or block modification. A party usually cannot change a court-ordered alimony obligation by informal agreement alone. When deciding a motion to modify alimony, the court may look at:
- Changes in income
- Changes in employment
- Changes in health
- Changes in financial needs
- The wording of the original divorce judgment
These factors help the court decide if the change is big enough to modify alimony.
What about cohabitation?
Connecticut law has a separate rule for cohabitation. If the person receiving alimony lives with another person in a way that changes financial needs, the court may suspend, reduce or end alimony. Cohabitation alone is not always enough. The key issue is whether the living arrangement changes the recipient’s finances.
Can alimony be nonmodifiable?
Some divorce judgments or agreements say alimony cannot be modified or can be changed only in certain situations. The wording of the original order matters. A time-limited alimony award may also include special terms about duration or modification.
How do you request a modification?
To ask for a change, a party usually must file a post-judgment motion and present evidence of the changed circumstances. The court will review the original order, the new facts and the requested change. Because the divorce judgment can control the outcome, review it carefully before filing. A Connecticut family law attorney can help decide whether the facts support a request for modification.