Alimony, or spousal maintenance as Illinois law calls it, is one of those obligations that can feel especially heavy after a divorce. If your ex gets engaged, it is natural to wonder if that means you can stop paying. The short answer? Not yet. Illinois courts have clear rules about when support ends, and engagement alone is not enough.
Under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5/), spousal maintenance helps a lower-earning spouse adjust financially after a marriage ends. But maintenance usually only ends if your ex remarries, starts living with someone in a marriage-like relationship, or if either of you passes away. Our Joliet, IL family lawyers can help you ask a court to end alimony if your condition qualifies.