There may come a time when your court ordered child support arrangement no longer makes sense. And here is why: You may no longer be able to make your payment in full due to a major change in circumstances.
If you need to lower your child support payments, you need to take a few key steps. The following tips should put you on the right track:
— Don’t wait another day to take action. If you realize that you are unable to make your full child support payment, you should immediately take action. Until you do this, you are expected to make every payment in full and on time.
— Learn more about the process of requesting a child support modification. There is more to this than meets the eye, so you want to know how the process will unfold in your state.
— Stay up to date. It may be difficult, but you don’t want to slip behind on your payments. Do whatever you can to stay current, as this will help you avoid trouble down the road.
— Speak to the other parent. If you have a good relationship, this person may agree for you to pay less child support until you are able to “get back to normal.” This is often the best approach, as it’s easier than going through the court process.
— Document any change in circumstances. This is extremely important, as you need to show why you are unable to make your child support payments in full. Any type of evidence you can collect is important.
— File a request. You will want to file your modification request with the court that first issued the order. It doesn’t matter if both parents agree to the modification or you are fighting to have this changed, court approval is a must.
Although there are some basic steps you should take to request a child support modification, the legal system may confuse you at some point. This is why you should consult with an attorney early in the process. By hiring legal help, you know you are taking the right steps and giving yourself the best odds for receiving a modification.