Understanding the Impact of New Relationships Financially
Hi, my name is Clint Hastings. I’m a Tulsa alimony attorney here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I focus on fathers’ rights.
Today I’m going to answer the question: Does my wife’s new boyfriend’s money count as her income?
Factors Affecting Alimony and Child Support
Part of that question usually includes, Does it affect the amount I might owe her in alimony? and Does it affect her income for purposes of child support?
The general answer is that it probably will not affect either one — but it depends on the specific circumstances of your case.
Effect of Remarriage on Alimony
Let’s say your wife has a new boyfriend, and maybe he’s a big spender or has significant wealth. If she later marries this man, that can absolutely affect alimony. In fact, if you end up owing her alimony after the divorce, her remarriage would terminate your obligation to pay it.
Now, as for child support — his income is not her income. You could try to argue that his gifts count as income to her, which should be considered in a child support calculation. However, even though the statute does say that gifts can be considered income, they usually aren’t.
Exceptions to Consider
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- It’s very difficult to prove those gifts with the level of specificity required.
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- You can’t usually show that any one gift happens regularly enough to be treated as ongoing income.
There are some exceptions. For example, if she’s receiving such extensive support that she effectively has no expenses of her own — she’s not paying for housing, food, or utilities — that could be used to argue against her need for alimony, since she’s already being supported.
Get Legal Advice Today
So, the bottom line is that it depends on the facts and the pattern of financial support in your case. Let us know if you have any questions or if you’d like to schedule a consultation. For a low-cost consultation, call Tulsa men’s child support attorney Clint Hastings at 918-962-0900.
