How to Motivate Your Spouse into Making Alimony Payments
Posted on November 16th, 2019 by Oddo & Babat, P.C.
Alimony Payments
For some married couples, divorce may just be inevitable. After separating, the sensitive topic of alimony may be a main topic of dispute. The spouse who had more solidified financial security during the marriage may have to help financially support the less-earning spouse until he or she has gotten settled. Alimony is often court-ordered, and there can be serious consequences for spouses who just don’t want to give their ex any money. If your spouse is behind on alimony payments or hasn’t given you the full amount for quite some time, we recommend meeting with an attorney for insight on how to get your spouse to pay.
Pause Before Action
It is entirely possible that your spouse is in the hospital for a severe injury or illness, or lost his or her job which has caused lack of payments. If there is a good reason for being behind on alimony payments, you may be able to work out an agreement with your spouse. Pausing and seeking a bit of understanding can prevent unnecessary conflicts from arising. However, it is still imperative that your spouse notifies the court of an unexpected event which has led to him or her being unable to pay.
If you work out a temporary arrangement with your spouse without court intervention, please have an attorney review your draft first, to safeguard your rights and see that both of you benefit.
Wage Garnishment
A paying spouse may eventually start to notice that his or her paychecks are not as much as they used to be. One reason for this change may be that the judge decided to enforce wage garnishment, to get the recipient spouse reliable alimony payments. An employer is obligated by law to abide by these court orders, so a spouse that tries to dispute the garnishment with their boss is unlikely to be successful. This arrangement assures that alimony is paid promptly and in full.
Suspended License
A spouse that seems to have just disappeared out of thin air but isn’t suffering from a tragic event, is probably attempting to elude responsibility for alimony payments. The paying spouse may have his or her license suspended and/or confiscated, causing a disruption in the flow of daily life. It isn’t easy to go a long period of time without a proper license, so your spouse may be motivated to get it reinstated by finally sending you payments.
If this situation sounds familiar to you, we suggest consulting with an attorney, as a more full-proof alimony agreement may need to be created. Though a suspended license caused a short-term inconvenience, there is no guarantee your spouse will choose to be consistent from then on moving forward.
Alimony is often a highly disputed and frustrating topic for divorcing spouses to work through. A divorce lawyer in Bloomington, IL can help see to it that you get the type of alimony arrangement and amount required, so getting back onto your feet is possible. Please call a lawyer before your spouse causes you to go deeper into financial ruin due to a lack of payment.
Thanks to Pioletti, Pioletti & Nichols for their insight into family law and how to motivate your spouse to pay alimony.
I consulted with David the first time a couple of years ago on a serious matter that affected a very close member of my family. Not expecting a good experience from this serious situation coupled with an attorney consultation, the entire thing surprised me as it was pleasant, professional, and completely successful. We found him clear, direct, generous and extremely knowledgeable throughout the process. I give my very strongest recommendation
