California residents may be interested to learn about actor Terrence Howard’s spousal support troubles. The 45-year-old “Iron Man” star has recently claimed that he is unable to pay his ex-wife Michelle Ghent the previously agreed upon $325,000 spousal support settlement. The actor says that paying the sum would be impossible because he only makes less than $6,000 a month.
Although Howard has income from many Hollywood films, he claims that the money goes directly to his first ex-wife Lori McMasters to cover her spousal support and child support for two of their children. McMasters, who was married to Howard for 14 years before their divorce, apparently pays all of her expenses with the money before writing Howard a monthly check for less than $6,000.
Howard has asked a judge to throw out his divorce settlement with Ghent, to whom he was only married for one year. He claims that he only signed the spousal support agreement after being blackmailed and extorted. Meanwhile, Howard must comply with the stipulations of a restraining order Ghent filed against him in September. Howard was ordered to stay a minimum of 300 yards away from Ghent after an incident in which he allegedly punched and kicked her.
Divorced people who have been ordered to pay spousal support sometimes find a need to have the order modified, due to a change in financial circumstances. When this is the case, a family law attorney might be able to help explain to a judge why the client can no longer pay. A lawyer may explain that an individual cannot be reasonably expected to pay spousal support due to unforeseen medical expenses or an extended period of unemployment.
Source: Daily News, “Terrence Howard says he can’t afford spousal support for ex-wife, only makes $6,000 a month: report“, Zayda Rivera, July 28, 2014
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