Whether you receive or pay spousal support in California, it is helpful to know when those payments will stop. This can allow you to plan your finances. It may even alter decisions you make. The impact may be large on your income depending on the size of payments, so that could completely change your financial outlook. The California Courts explains there are three ways your spousal support may end.
Spousal support is a way for one spouse to maintain a lifestyle and stay financial sound after a divorce. The court orders it as an obligation of the spouse who earns more money to take care of the other spouse and to provide for that spouse who may not have had to provide for him or herself during the marriage. With that in mind, if you receive the support and you remarry, then your ex-spouse no longer has this obligation to you. This will end your payments. This also applies if you establish a domestic partnership.
The support payments will also end if either of you dies. This is rather obvious because a dead person cannot pay or receive the money.
The last way your support will end is if the court orders it. You may have a prearranged end date as part of your divorce agreement. The court may also end payments if financial situations change. The court has the ultimate say, so if the judge decides to end payments for whatever reason, then they will end.
In most cases, you will have some notice that your support will end, but there may be no notice at all, so you should always be ready for it to happen. This information is for education and is not legal advice.
