If you do not live with your children full-time, it is your legal responsibility to support your children financially. The amount of money you pay for child support depends on factors like your income and how much you and your custodial partner make combined. Since these factors change due to different reasons, there will be times you may need to modify the amount of child support you pay. The attorneys in Hunter Law P.A. believe that it is essential to pay child support without being pushed, and it should stop when a child turns 18 years old. Your personal child support attorneys should assist you when it comes to negotiations. In this article, you will learn the reasons child support payment may be modified.
1. When you happen to lose your job.
The moment you lose your job, it does not mean that you should stop paying your child support, but it is a significant factor in modifying the amount you pay. A judge factors in the amount of child support you owe, whether your job loss is permanent or temporary and how much the other parent earns. The lawyer you hire from Hunter Law P.A. can help you in adjusting the child support payment to an amount you can be comfortable paying. The same lawyer can also backdate your new payment to the date you first lost your job.
2. When you receive a raise.
Once the other parent discovers you have a raise at your place of work, they will want to modify the child support payment to a higher amount each month. You do not want the other parent to do so before you, therefore, take on the modification process so that you can provide precise information on what you can pay comfortably in regards to your new income. However, if you pay health insurance and daycare charges for children you do not live with, the child support payment will only be adjusted by a small amount. Open up to your Hunter Law P.A. lawyer and let him or her understand your condition. Your lawyer will most likely advise you to request for modification due to your pay rise so that you are fair to your kids. Carry proof of other payments as you visit your lawyer since such factors are considered when the child support pay rise is being discussed.
3. When your ex-spouse starts working.
The minimum wage for the custodial parent is put into consideration in many states, even if they are not employed. The purpose of doing this is to relieve the other parent of the duty of paying all the child’s needs. If the custodial parent starts working, you need to mention their new income when the child support calculations are being done so that your payments can reduce. Your attorney will be able to come up with a figure that you should pay and prove the custodial parent’s income as well depending on the requirements of the state you reside. Some parents can agree, saving them the time and costs of going to court.
4. When one or more of your kids stay with you.
When your child moves in with you, it does not guarantee that child support payment reduces. It is your responsibility to file for custody modification. If you are on speaking terms with your ex-spouse and you can prove that your child lives with you, go ahead and modify the child support to ensure that you are not paying so much money to your ex while you live with your child.
5. When there are increased responsibilities for the minor.
As children grow older, their needs increase. Specific needs like braces, a bicycle, and money for school trips may come up. A custodial parent is allowed to seek additional child support to help in paying the many expenses that come with an aging child.
6. An increase in familial responsibilities.
A non-custodial parent may move on with life and end remarrying and having other children. Therefore, a parent may seek to reduce his or her child support payments and only pay for one child so that he or she may focus on the other kids in the new marriage.
Conclusion
It is best to consult professional lawyers who have knowledge and experience in child support and child custody like those at Hunter Law P.A. to make sure you pay a reasonable amount. Trust these experts and you are assured that the needs of your kids will be met.