When a court orders alimony payments to be paid to you, your ex-spouse might not be very happy. They might think that they were treated unfairly by the courts or that they will now be struggling financially. However, the reality is that the courts take alimony payments very seriously, and they calculate a judgment that they believe is the fairest scenario for all. Therefore, if your ex-spouse is late on an alimony payment, the consequences can be severe.

What to do if your ex-spouse is late on alimony payments

If your spouse does not pay his or her alimony on time, the first thing to do is not to worry: The law is on your side. You should take action as soon as possible by asking the court to declare that your ex-spouse is in contempt of court. When the court does this, it means that your ex-spouse could eventually go to jail for not paying alimony. The court could even garnish your ex-spouse’s wages in order to ensure that you receive your alimony payments eventually.

How else can I ensure the security of my payments?

By taking out disability insurance, you maybe able to ensure that your payments will not stop in the event of your ex-spouse being unable to work. You can also place a lien on some of his or her assets so that you have a guarantee that you will receive payments.

Alimony is an important part of divorce, and the courts will understand that receiving the money is essential to your way of life. Remember your rights and take action if your alimony is unpaid.

Source: Dummies, “Past-Divorce: Ensuring that Spousal Payments Arrive,” accessed Nov. 30, 2017