The NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics) states that approximately 41% of the first marriages end up in divorce. For the second marriages, it goes up by 60% and for the third marriages, the number shoots up to 73%. For single parents, an understanding should exist when it comes to child support. Unless the court decides to legally terminate the rights of a parent, each parent in the United States should contribute financially to the well-being of the child.
What is child support?
Child support is the financial responsibility of a parent to support a child as it grows up. When the court gives a parent custody to the child, the assumption is that the parent can fulfill the financial responsibility. If the child does not live with the parent, then the court expects the parent to support the child by paying the custodial parent.
If you are required by the court to pay child support, you will have to pay for child support to the point where the child gets to adulthood, or when the court states that your child is emancipated, or when your child enrolls to the military. If you have a special needs child, you may support the child past childhood. On the flip side, the court can terminate parental rights of both parents if both parents agree that they want to place the child for adoption, or as parents, you agree not to offer support to the child.
In some instances, the arrangements that the court makes for child support tend not to materialize. There are life events that happen like losing a job, or a major injury, or the household incomes call for a change in the arrangement of child support. To get more help on child support, or to lower the payments for child support, parents need to either ask a judge to make an order for the change, or the parents should agree to change.
We are going to look at some tips for child support modification what will help you to go through the process with a peace of mind.
A divorce can take a toll on the whole family. Child Support can be a valuable way to show you still care and manage expectations.
Inform yourself
Get to know your state’s child support laws and learn what it takes to make a substantial change in situations that are necessary to declare a child support modification. You can seek the knowledge of Hunter Law P.A. for guidance.
Act quickly
If you find it hard to pay for child support, then you will have arrears piling up which cannot be declared void in bankruptcy, and they can’t be reduced. When you immediately discover that your circumstances have changed, you need to start making the necessary steps to secure a modification of the child support.
Plan to see how you can make an agreement with your co-parent
Try and find out if your ex-partner can agree to make the modification of the child support payments. In most cases, these discussions are usually difficult. However, due to the financial and emotional expense of making litigations of child support arrangements, then starting a discussion with the intention of making an agreement is wise. Using methods like mediation can prove helpful for an agreement to be achieved.
Make documentation about your circumstances
If your household income has changed or you have undergone a job change, if you have just gotten an injury, you are required to documents these circumstances. Know that these changes need to have happened after the court had passed the child support order. If you lose your job for some reason and you can’t support your child, you will have to make some serious effort to look for new employment and documents your progress. Be cautious of how you accurately state your household income in detail.
Make your child support payments the best way possible
Make your child support payments as often as you can under the current child support order. The current child support order stays put to the point the court issues another child support order. Follow the court order as specified without fail. If you don’t adhere to the court order, you will hurt any argument that comes up due to a change in circumstance, and you will pile up unpaid child support payments.
Go to the right court to file your request for modification of your child support payments
Go to the court that issued your child support order. If both parents agree to make a modification, or one parent desires to place a child support modification order, the court will have to make a new child support order.
Get tips for child support modification by talking to your lawyer
If you plan to lower your child support payments due to prevailing circumstances, you need to seek the counsel of Hunter Law P.A. Speaking to Hunter Law P.A. will help you get the right legal framework of how to go about the process.