If you lose your job in Mankato Minnesota, this can result in a dramatic reduction of your income. If you have an obligation to pay spousal support to your ex after your marriage has dissolved, a job loss can be a big problem as you will still have this outstanding support obligation that you owe and you may have no way to pay as required. You CANNOT just stop paying your spousal support based on a job loss, as this could end up resulting in you facing serious penalties including jail time. Instead, it is important to consult with a qualified Mankato divorce and family law attorney as soon as possible after you have lost your job to learn what your options are for dealing with your support obligation.
What To Do If You Lose Your Job When You Owe Spousal Support
If you lose your job when you owe spousal support in Mankato Minnesota, you may be able to get your support order modified under certain specific circumstances. There is, however, no guarantee that the loss of a job is automatically going to change what you need to pay your ex. There are a lot of factors that can affect the impact of a job loss on your spousal support obligations. For example:
- You must determine if your spousal support obligation is modifiable or not. In some cases, a permanent non-modifiable support order will be in effect. If this is the case, your change in job circumstances will not have an impact on what you must pay to your spouse. You are obligated to continue to pay the total amount of support that the court ordered you to pay. If your support order is modifiable, on the other hand, you may be able to petition the court to make a change in your support obligations.
- You can request that the court modify a modifiable support order based on a material change in your circumstances that makes it a hardship for you to pay the amount of support that is required. You will need to file paperwork with the court requesting a change and you will need to come to court and explain why a change should be made. The court will look at other sources of income, your assets and your employability in considering whether to make a change to spousal support. If the court believes that you can still pay despite the job loss, then your spousal support order will not be modified. You cannot willfully refuse to look for another job either, nor can you take a job for less than you should be making just to avoid paying required support.
An experienced Mankato divorce and family law attorney can help you to pursue a modification of your spousal support requirements based on a job loss so you will have the best chance of having your support order changed.