Modifying or Ending Alimony in Arkansas
In Arkansas, both the person paying and the person receiving alimony can petition the court at any time to review or modify it based on a significant and material change of circumstances. Some events, such as remarriage, end alimony automatically unless the order or agreement says otherwise.
Either party can ask
Ark. Code 9-12-312(a)(7) says both a person paying alimony and a person receiving alimony are entitled to petition the court for a review, modification, or both, of the alimony order at any time based upon a significant and material change of circumstances. A payor has the same right under (b)(4). Nothing in the statute sets a percentage or a waiting period.
What counts as significant and material
The statute does not define the phrase. The court looks at what has changed since the order, such as income, health, employment or living arrangements, and whether the change is large and lasting enough to matter. The documents that prove the change matter more than any rule of thumb.
Rehabilitative alimony and the plan
If the recipient fails to meet the requirements of a rehabilitative plan, the payor may petition for a review to determine whether rehabilitative alimony should continue or be modified (9-12-312(b)(3)).
Some changes end alimony without a petition
Remarriage, equivalent relationships that produce a child and a support order, full-time intimate cohabitation and the death of either party end alimony automatically, unless the court or the parties provided otherwise. The Arkansas alimony calculator applies that rule to the event in your case.
Different terms in the order
The default rules yield to what the court ordered or the parties agreed. Check the alimony paragraph of your decree or settlement for contingencies or waivers before assuming a change is automatic or possible.
How this differs from child support modification
Child support has its own review rules: an inconsistency between an existing child support award and the amount the Family Support Chart produces can be a material change of circumstances, unless an exception applies (Ark. Code 9-14-107(c)(2) as recited in Administrative Order 10). Alimony has no chart, so there is nothing to compare an alimony order against except the facts that have changed. See the Arkansas child support calculator for the child support side.
What to bring when you ask the court to change an order
Bring the alimony order with its terms, proof of what has changed (income, employment, health, remarriage or living arrangements) and documents showing the change is lasting, such as pay records, medical documentation or a lease. Because the statute sets no threshold, a clear comparison of the situation then and now is the most useful evidence.
How long alimony lasts
Read how long alimony lasts in Arkansas for the duration rules.
Frequently asked questions
Can alimony be modified in Arkansas?
Yes. Both the payor and the recipient may petition for a review, modification or both at any time based on a significant and material change of circumstances.
Who can ask to modify alimony in Arkansas?
Either the person paying or the person receiving alimony.
Does remarriage end alimony in Arkansas?
Yes, automatically, unless otherwise ordered by the court or agreed to by the parties.
Is there a percentage change required to modify Arkansas alimony?
No percentage appears in the statute; the standard is a significant and material change of circumstances.
Can a rehabilitative award be reviewed in Arkansas?
Yes. If the recipient fails to meet the rehabilitative plan's requirements, the payor may petition for a review of whether it should continue or be modified.
Official sources
A local family law attorney can review your situation — many offer a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited Arkansas statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed Arkansas attorney.