Florida fans of actor Terrence Howard may not be aware that despite the actor’s blockbuster resume, his take-home pay is less than $6,000 per month. This is his claim in the request he has filed to have changes made in his spousal support arrangement for his ex-wife, Michelle Ghent.
According to Howard, his entire income goes to his first wife, who takes out expenses for herself and the couple’s children. Then, she sends Howard the remaining $5,878 per month. As a result, Howard is unable to pay the $325,000 he promised to Ghent as part of their divorce settlement.
Howard alleges that he knew he would be unable to pay the amount but that he was extorted and blackmailed into the agreement. The relationship with Ghent lasted only a year, and in 2013, Ghent claimed that Howard had punched and kicked her, and she took out a protective order. Howard signed the agreement saying he would stay 300 yards away from her and pay about $48,000 of her attorney fees without admitting to wrongdoing.
It may sometimes be possible for the terms of spousal support or child support to be altered based on an individual’s change in circumstances, but despite his claim of extortion and blackmail, it is unclear why Howard was not more forthcoming during the initial negotiations regarding his finances.
Sometimes, divorcing couples are able to come to an agreement regarding support through negotiations with attorneys or through mediation. However, in some cases, it is necessary to go to court. Ex-spouses may return to court multiple times if one individual is not holding up their end of the agreement regarding visitation, support or other issues. Divorced individuals may want to consult a family law attorney regarding these and other issues.
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
