Being ordered to pay child support is common when you have a child with someone and the other parent requests help. In most cases, it will be the father who is ordered to pay child support to the mother. If you are paying child support to the mother of your child, there are reasons why the support amount can be modified. This is what’s known as child support modification.
Almost all judges will include a clause known as the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in nearly every child support order that they issue. This clause automatically adjusts the payment amount based on the adjustment in the cost of living every year either upwards or downwards.
If you lost your job because of layoffs or any other reason, you can request that the court modify the child support order. You would ask it to either suspend the order until you find a new job or reduce the amount to a more affordable one until you are employed again.
Those who have become seriously ill can also request a modification. For example, if you were diagnosed with cancer and will be paying hefty medical bills, you can petition the court to adjust the amount of child support you have to pay.
The child support order can also be modified if the custody arrangement changes. For example, if you now have physical custody of the child, the order can be altered to switch the payments to the other parent instead of them coming from you.
Child support modification requests are not always granted. Make sure you have a legitimate reason for needing the amount of child support that you are paying changed. Your family law attorney can provide valuable guidance and support.