What Happens to the Support Amount You are Required to Pay If You Get Remarried?
When you divorce, you may be ordered to pay child support and you may be ordered to pay spousal support. There is a standard formula in Nevada that is used to determine how much you must contribute to supporting your kids. There is no standard formula setting the amount of alimony, and alimony is not ordered in every divorce case. The judge will consider many factors in deciding if alimony is appropriate, including the length of marriage, contributions made by each spouse, and income disparity between the spouses. You could also negotiate the issue of alimony outside of court. The alimony payments may be temporary or permanent.
You must make your child support and alimony payments on an ongoing basis. However, if you remarry, then you may suddenly find yourself with new family obligations. When this happens, it is natural to wonder if the support amount you are required to pay will change based on the remarriage. The answer to this question is usually no, however there are some limited exceptions. A Las Vegas divorce lawyer at Pintar Albiston LLP can provide you with advice on when you can petition the court to change your support obligations.
Does Remarriage Affect the Support Amount You Are Required to Pay?
If the spouse receiving alimony gets remarried, the alimony will generally end. However, if the paying spouse remarries, the new relationship does not reduce or eliminate the obligation to pay support to the ex spouse. The new husband or wife’s income is not taken into account, and is irrelevant to the existing court order. Child support obligations also will not change based on a new marriage. However, if you change your custody arrangement, then your support order will be altered. If you see less of your child because you are remarried, you could be ordered to pay more support. By contrast, if you see more of your child after your marriage, then you can petition for a change in custody and support.
While remarriage does not typically affect the support amount you are required to pay, having a child can make an impact. When you have a child and have new financial obligations to support that child, your ability to make your existing payments may be affected. You can petition the court and argue for a change if you can prove that you truly have less financial resources available due to the new child and that it has become a hardship to make existing support payments.
If you want to change the support amount you are required to pay, you need to have a very compelling reason why you should be allowed to do so. It is a good idea to consult with a Las Vegas divorce and family law professional who can help you determine if you have grounds for a change and who can help you to make the most compelling possible argument for why a modification should occur. Pinter Albiston LLP can provide you with advice and legal representation as you petition the court to change your support order. Call today to learn more.