Clients often have queries some years after their original financial order was made, where a change in their circumstances requires the maintenance provisions in the original order to be considered again. Orders that can be varied by the court under section 31 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 and specialist advice should be sought on the risks versus advantages of such applications, and the factors that the court takes into account when determining variation applications. Our team of experts will provide essential advice on the issues that must be considered before embarking on negotiations or court proceedings to vary and extant order and will explain the court’s power to capitalise payments and to backdate payments, along with details of the procedure for a variation application and the costs involved.