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The interplay between alimony, remarriage and cohabitation

On Behalf of | Feb 3, 2020 | Divorce |

Throughout your marriage, you and your spouse shared household responsibilities. While your partner worked to support the family, you stayed home to raise the kids. Now that you are facing a divorce, you may have significant anxiety about your financial future. After all, your soon-to-be ex-spouse has a lucrative career, while you have no job at all. 

Connecticut law recognizes the societal harm that comes from a post-divorce financial crisis. Therefore, if your spouse provided you with financial support during your marriage, you may be eligible to receive alimony after your divorce. Before beginning a new relationship, however, you should understand the interplay between alimony, remarriage and cohabitation.

Alimony and remarriage

If you receive alimony, remarrying may signal the end of your support payments. Unlike the law in many other states, though, Connecticut statutes do not allow for the immediate suspension of alimony upon the remarriage of the receiving spouse. On the contrary, for payments to end, both you and your ex-spouse must agree. If you refuse consent, your ex-spouse may file an independent motion to request termination of his or her support obligation.

Alimony and cohabitation 

Just as remarrying a new love interest may trigger the eventual termination of spousal support, cohabitating with your new partner may also affect alimony payments. If the individual with whom you live financially supports you, your ex-spouse may be able to convince a judge to reduce alimony payments or terminate them completely. To do so, he or she must provide evidence of your cohabitation, your new partner’s support and your financial standing.

If you are thinking about walking down the aisle with your new partner, you may not care much about continuing to receive alimony payments from your ex-spouse. Nonetheless, because both remarriage and cohabitation are likely to have some effect on the spousal support you receive, understanding the interplay between the three is essential for making informed decisions.