Imagine you have to pay $700 monthly in child support, but last month you lost your job. You don’t know where your next paycheck is going to come from, and you’re worried about not being able to make your next child support payment. If you’re facing a situation like this, it’s important that you act fast. If you follow the right legal protocol, you might be able to get a temporary reduction in your child support obligations.
Here’s what you need to do:
Act as fast as possible
Don’t delay if it looks like you won’t be able to pay your child support bills. If you’ve suffered a significant change in financial circumstances for the worse, you need to act fast by submitting an application for a temporary or permanent child support modification. The sooner you address the problem, the less chances there will be of you getting in trouble with the law for a lack of payment.
Learn about child support modification rules
Before you file for a child support modification, learn about and understand the kinds of situations that will result in a successful modification. If it’s clear you don’t qualify, filing for a modification will simply be a waste of money and time.
Talk to the other parent
Depending on your situation and relationship, the other parent might be willing to negotiate a reduction in your child support payments to help get you through this difficult time while you look for a new job.
Pay what you can
Even if you can’t pay all of your child support, pay as much as you can. This will show the court that you’re doing your best, and the court could be more lenient on you if you get into serious legal trouble.
The better you prepare for your child support modification, the better chances you’ll have of success. As such, child support payers will want to learn as much as they can about this area of the law before submitting their application for a child support modification.
Source: FindLaw, “Child Support Modification Tips,” accessed Feb. 02, 2018
