Child Support Modifications

As a divorced parent, you have dealt with significant changes in your life. After going through the long and painful divorce process, you may be hesitant to bring up issues that you have with your settlement. When two parents are divorced, they are ordered by the court to pay a certain amount of child support. If you have experienced a significant change in your life that has affected your ability to pay child support, you may have the right to request a child support modification.

In order for a change in your child support arrangement to be legitimate, you must be able to prove that a significant and unexpected change has affected your financial situation. For example, if a parent receives an unexpected raise, a large inheritance, or a substantial financial gift, that parent might be expected to pay more child support. Inversely, if a parent becomes disabled or involuntarily loses their job, the court may consider lowering that parent's amount of child support. Child support arrangements may also be modified because of the needs of the child or children involved. If a child is accustomed to private schooling or summer camps before the separation or divorce occurred, the court may require higher support levels from one or both parents. If a parent remarries and the new spouse's income substantially increases the overall household income, a child support modification may be warranted.

If you are paying more child support than you can afford with your current financial situation or if there has been a significant change in the parenting plan, a qualified child support attorney can you succeed with a modification to your current court order. In order for the court to consider modifying your support, there must be a change of at least 10 percent in the amount of child support that was previously established. You are allowed to seek child support modifications as many times as necessary until your child reaches the age of 18. With the help of a skilled attorney, you can help provide a better future for your child while decreasing your financial burdens through child support modification.

Find a family lawyer in your area to help you with child support modifications!