In California, not every award of spousal support is permanent. Moreover, certain life events can happen that result in the cessation of spousal support. It is important to know what these events are and what steps to take to end spousal support.
First, sometimes the spousal support order itself has an end date. If this is the case, then the paying spouse does not need to do anything to end it. That being said, if the paying spouse's wages are being garnished, they may need to provide their employer with a form showing an amount of $0 due for spousal support.
Also, if the receiving spouse dies or remarries, or if the paying spouse's payments have not been received by the other spouse for more than six months because the receiving spouse has not provided the paying spouse's employer with their current address, then the paying spouse can execute an "ex parte" application to end spousal support.
Sometimes, the court requires the paying spouse to formally file a motion in order to stop spousal support payments. The process for doing so would be the same as what is done if the paying spouse is moving the court to change an existing order for spousal support.
In the end, if a paying spouse believes they are able to stop paying spousal support, they may want to discuss the matter with a divorce attorney who can advise them on the right steps to take. Everyone's situation is different, and an attorney has the ability to determine what to do based on their client's specific case.
