Many situations can affect your income. You may be laid off from work. You may have suffered a serious accident that prevents you from working. These situations can affect your ability to make your child support payments. Despite your setbacks, you can’t just stop making your payments.
When you find yourself in these situations, you may want to request a child support modification. Here are the occasions that allow you to request a child support modification in Texas from the Evans Family Law Group.
Changes in Income
When you have experienced a significant change in your income, you may want to request a child support modification. Some changes you may experience are a reduction in salary, a loss of clients (for self-employment), a loss of business income, or a reduction in work hours. If the change in income is out of your control, the courts may consider that.
When it comes to unemployment, it depends. The courts will consider that you cannot make your payments on time. However, you may still be expected to look for some type of work, even if it’s outside of your recommended occupation. Sometimes, accepting lower-paying work may influence the judge to approve your modification request.
Changes in Your Health
Another legitimate reason to request a child support modification is when there is a change in your physical or mental health. You may experience a disability that prevents you from working. Recovering from this disability may reduce your working hours or affect your ability to care for your child.
Your child’s disability may also be a legitimate reason to request a modification in your child support. Helping your child recover may increase your expenses. You may have to take additional time off from work to take care of your child.
You may not be able to continue providing the same level of care your child needs because of their disability. These factors may be taken into account with your modification request.
Changes in Your Child’s Needs
Just like everything else in your life, your child’s needs will fluctuate. Your child may not require the same things in your child support payment. You may not need to factor in daycare expenses as your child grows older.
You may also discover that you need additional financial support for your child. As your child enters their preteen and teenage years, they may need additional money for extracurricular activities and college prep courses. If you need to make adjustments based on your child’s needs, the courts may consider altering your payments.
Changes in Visitation
The other parent’s visitation with the child may change throughout the years. If the other parent loses their job, you may take on more childcare responsibilities. Your child may spend more time at your house than at the other parent’s home.
If your parenting time has been altered, you can request the courts to modify your payments and include your new parenting schedule.
Speak With a Child Support Lawyer Today
When you need to adjust your child support, contact a child support lawyer from Evans Family Law Group. We want to help your family continue to prosper as much as possible. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.