Many people tell themselves after a divorce that they don’t want to remarry. The idea of cohabitating with someone again or combining finances with another person can seem unpleasant or even unsafe after a stressful divorce. However, many divorced adults in North Carolina eventually fall in love again. They may realize that their new relationship is healthier than their previous one and may feel excited about the future that they may have with their new partner.
Still, there are often concerns about what remarriage might mean for someone still involved in an ongoing financial arrangement after a North Carolina divorce. Sometimes, through mutual agreement or court order, one spouse provides the other with alimony after a divorce. What impact does remarrying potentially have on alimony?
Remarriage can end alimony payments
For the recipient or dependent spouse, a remarriage typically means the end of alimony payments. The spouse making the payments can file a request with the courts to terminate their support when they learn that the recipient has remarried. In fact, even cohabitation can lead to the termination of alimony payments in North Carolina. Some people specifically wait to get married or move in with a new partner until after the end of durational alimony.
Remarriage could affect alimony amounts
The recipient is not the only spouse who might consider remarrying while subject to an alimony order in North Carolina. The party paying alimony could also decide to remarry. Simply taking on a new spouse does not absolve someone of the financial obligation to continue supporting their former spouse. The courts may consider modification requests after remarriage in some cases.
Remarriage often means an increase in household income and an improvement in personal circumstances. There is no guarantee that someone can reduce the alimony payments they make to their spouse simply because they solemnize a relationship with a new partner.
The duration and amount of the alimony ordered can sometimes change when one of the spouses remarries. Therefore, both those paying alimony or spousal support and those receiving payments often need to review their situation carefully before making major moves. Evaluating the potential impact that a change in relationship status could have on alimony may benefit those who are rebuilding after a North Carolina divorce.