Child support can be an uncomfortable topic for many. On one hand, you want to be involved in your child’s welfare. On the other, the realities of life may prevent you from doing so.
If child support payments are becoming a burden, you need options for relief. Luckily, you can receive modifications.
These modifications, however, won’t simply come at your request. You must have a valid reason to convince the court that alterations are justified.
Here are some situations that could result in a child support modification.
- You Experienced a Job Change
In our world, your career can change suddenly. If you were laid off or demoted through no fault of your own, this is a strong argument for a support modification. Obviously, you don’t have the income you once did, and keeping up with support could be impossible.
Getting fired or demoted for performance will likely disqualify you for a modification. So will voluntarily choosing a lower-paying position. To make a strong argument in court, you must show that the job change was thrust upon you, and you were powerless to stop it.
The change must also be semi-permanent. You may, for instance, have an advanced degree in an in-demand field. In that case, the court will probably assume that you’ll secure work soon, and it will not allow an alteration.
- You Had a New Baby
Child support is based on how many children you have, regardless of whether they all come from the same mother or father. Having a new child changes the number of people you support and the cost it takes to support them.
- The Other Parent Experienced Significant Life Changes
Modifications can go both ways. If, for instance, your co-parent gets a new, higher-paying job, that means they have more money to contribute to child support. This could be justification for a modification. Remember, however, that the reverse is true as well. If you get a better-paying job, your co-parent could request a greater amount of support.
The same could be true if they get remarried. In most cases, the law assumes that both spouses share their incomes equally. When someone gets married, their income technically increases. Ask your attorney about whether a remarriage can help lower your child support payments.
What if My Payments Were Always Too High?
Child support should not be a burden. It is based on both parents’ incomes. Furthermore, it should not cost much more to support the kids than it would if you lived with them.
If your payments have always caused you trouble, something went wrong in the original agreement. Ask an attorney to read over the original order. If there is a mistake, or if it is wildly imbalanced, you can go to the courts and plead for a payment reduction.
Our firm is here to help with child support alterations. For a free consultation, call us today at (270) 783-8311 or contact us online.