Alimony and Child Support
Where to Start When You’ve Lost Your Job
If you or your former partner have lost your jobs because of COVID-19, you’re probably concerned about child support or alimony. Do you have to pay if you can’t afford to because of a job loss? The quick answer is yes. Failure to pay can lead to your assets being liquidated to make payments or even jail time. Even filing for bankruptcy will not exempt you from owing child support. However, while you can’t simply stop paying alimony or child support, you can request to reduce payments or modify support in the face of job or income loss. Here are some practical and legal steps to take after you’ve lost your job and are unable to make payments. First, gather evidence to demonstrate that your job loss was due to economic circumstances, not your performance. Ask your former employer for everything in writing, including your severance agreement. Next, do everything you can to find another job and restore your income. (Yes, we realize you’re probably already on this.) Keep records of the job applications you submit and the recruiting websites you sign up for. The next steps are legal actions you’ll want to take in order to request modified support. First, file the appropriate petition for modification and seek a temporary abatement. Make sure you do this before your next payment is due. For child support, you’re required to file a financial affidavit with the petition. Don’t forget! Otherwise, you risk having your case dismissed and allowing missed support payments to accumulate as vested rights. Next, you will serve the other party with a lawsuit and comply with mandatory disclosure requirements. From there, most cases enter the negotiation phase, where you may go to mediation with your former spouse or co-parent to come to an agreement about modifying support. If you’d like to learn more about options for modified support because of a lost job or reduced income, attorneys Ashley and Chris Bruce have written a guidebook on the topic. It covers your legal rights around modified support and how to navigate the process. See below to get your copy!
Commercial space travel might still be the stuff of science fiction stories, but thanks to computer programs and augmented reality, your family can still experience what it’s like to explore space. NASA and other organizations provide a wealth of free resources that make space exploration come to life for stargazers and future astronauts alike. Take some time to explore a few of our favorites today. TOURING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION First launched in 1998, the International Space Station is a multinational space research laboratory. Nineteen different nations have sent astronauts, cosmonauts, and space tourists to the space station to conduct scientific experiments. It’s truly the stuff science fiction dreams are made of! In 2012, Expedition 33 Commander Sunita Williams filmed a full tour of this amazing floating lab and even included a quick lesson on how to work out in zero gravity. “Visit” the space station for yourself at Bit.ly/ISSTour. EXPLORING DEEP SPACE VIA VIRTUAL REALITY On Jan. 30, 2020, NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope concluded its 16-year mission researching exoplanets, which are planets outside our solar system. This data was used to create Exoplanet Excursions, an immersive virtual reality experience that lets your family experience the Spitzer’s discoveries and control the telescope yourself. These incredible excursions are available on Oculus or Steam, so visit Spitzer.Caltech.edu/vr to start your adventure and explore deep space today! PLANET-HOPPING WITH NASA Have you ever wondered would it be like to stand on another world? Then “book” your next vacation with the Exoplanet Travel Bureau! This program takes you on digital tours of real exoplanets NASA has discovered. Though we don’t know what the surfaces of these worlds look like, artists have used scientific data to create 3D landscapes to explore. See them all, from Kepler-16b to TRAPPIST-1e, at Exoplanets.NASA.gov/alien-worlds/exoplanet-travel-bureau. NASA TAKES YOU ON A (VIRTUAL) SPACE ADVENTURE
Is your friend or client in need of a guide related to recent job or income loss? The book can be downloaded for FREE at SupportModificationBook.com. If your friend or client lives in the south Florida area, we’ll mail them a hard copy of the book on request. OUR SUPPORT MODIFICATION BOOK CAN HELP!
2 • BrucePA.com
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