Guides
Changing or ending alimony in Connecticut
General information about Connecticut court procedure, not legal advice.
Alimony orders can be changed when life changes, but not every order and not for every reason. The order you have controls until a court changes it, and timing matters more than most people expect. This guide covers when alimony can be modified, the motion, and why the filing date is not the date that counts.
First, read your order
Some divorce judgments and agreements limit whether alimony can be modified, in amount, in duration, or at all. What your order says controls what a court can later do with it. Read the alimony paragraphs of your judgment or agreement before anything else, and bring them word for word to the motion.
Whether alimony ends if the recipient remarries depends on what your judgment or agreement says; many orders end it, but the order's words control.
When a court can change alimony
Connecticut law allows modification of an alimony order upon a showing of a substantial change in circumstances. The change is measured against the circumstances when the order entered: a job loss, a lasting change in income or health, a retirement. The judge decides whether the change you show clears the bar.
Connecticut also has a separate provision for cohabitation: alimony can be modified, suspended, reduced, or terminated when the person receiving it is living with another person and that living arrangement changes their financial needs. Both parts matter; living together alone is not the test.
The motion
The form is the Motion for Modification (form JD-FM-174). It identifies the order you want changed and its date, states what has changed, and is filed in the same case, under the same docket number. Both parties' sworn Financial Affidavits (form JD-FM-6) must be on file at least 5 business days before the hearing.
Why the service date matters
A modification can take effect no earlier than the date the motion was served on the other party. Weeks between the change in your life and the service of your motion are weeks the existing order controls, including everything it says you owe. If you have fallen behind under the current order, say so in the motion with the amount; arrears do not disappear because circumstances changed.
Filing, the fee, and service
After judgment, the court charges a fee to file a motion; if paying it would be a hardship, the Application for Waiver of Fees asks the court to waive it. See our guide on court fee waivers.
After judgment, service by a state marshal is often required so the other party is formally notified of the motion and the court date. The clerk can tell you what your case needs.
Filing online
You can file through the Judicial Branch's E-Services system at eservices.jud.ct.gov. Enroll to create a User ID and password, activate your account through the emailed link, then request electronic access to your case, which the clerk approves if someone else started the case. Choose your User ID carefully; it cannot be changed and appears on every document you file.
What happens next
The court schedules a court event, which may be a hearing or a Resolution Plan Date where you talk to Family Services first. The sworn financial affidavits are the center of it: the court compares the finances behind the existing order with the finances now. An agreed change, signed by both parties, can be submitted for approval without a hearing. Until a new order enters, the existing one controls.
Where to get help
Connecticut's Court Service Centers offer free help for self-represented parties. The clerk's office can answer questions about procedure but cannot give legal advice. Legal aid organizations serve people who qualify. If you want legal advice, talk to a licensed Connecticut attorney.
ProSay is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. ProSay is a self-help document preparation service.