Reason Man Stopped Alimony to ‘Struggling’ Pregnant Ex-Wife Applauded

A man has been backed online after sharing his decision to end alimony payments to his pregnant ex-wife upon learning she had moved in with her new boyfriend.

Posting under the handle Key-Dot-8409, the 41-year-old father explained his story on the popular ‘Am I the a******’ (AITA) subreddit. He wrote that he and his ex-wife share a 12-year-old son and divorced five years ago.

In addition to child support, he had been paying alimony. However, after discovering that his ex-wife’s boyfriend had moved into her home—along with his daughter—the user sought legal advice.

“I also found out from my lawyer that my ex living with her boyfriend gives me the right to terminate alimony in our state,” he wrote. The court ruled in his favor, ending the alimony payments.

The man explained that his motivation stemmed partly from his son’s discomfort. After the boyfriend and his daughter moved in, the son was forced to share a room with his cousin, who also lives in the house, a change he strongly disliked.

The father has since initiated a custody modification to have his son live with him full time. The ex-wife, now four months pregnant with her boyfriend’s child, is reportedly upset over the loss of alimony.

“She is only working part time and her boyfriend is a medically retired fireman. So, they are struggling financially,” the man wrote.

Attorney Jonathan Breeden, a family law expert based in North Carolina, explained why the court’s decision aligns with legal precedent.

“Certain circumstances can end alimony—the dependent spouse remarries, they pass away, or they cohabitate with a new romantic interest,” he told Newsweek.

While the custody case is ongoing, the father noted that the money previously allocated for alimony will now go toward his son’s future.

Breeden confirmed that the Reddit user was well within his rights to end the alimony payments.

“The purpose of alimony is to allow someone to stay on their feet after a divorce. Once he found out his ex was cohabitating, the user was allowed to file to end his payments,” he said.

While the father will have to continue making child support payments until custody is resolved, Breeden said, “at least he can continue to save money for his son’s needs.”

At the time of writing, the post has received 18,000 upvotes and over 1,500 comments.

“Alimony isn’t your responsibility now that she’s with someone else. Good luck with the custody changes!” one user wrote.

Many others agreed that original poster was making the best decision for his son.

“Stay focused on the custody process and ensure you’re documenting how you’re providing a stable, supportive environment for your son. Just keep doing what’s right for him, he’s lucky to have you in his corner,” a second user commented.