It may seem hard to modify child support orders in Florida, but it’s a somewhat common practice. As the needs of a child change, the child support order should be able to change with it.
Requesting a child support modification in the Florida court of laws isn’t too hard. An attorney can easily help you file for a modification and walk you through the process.
Why would a modification be needed?
A child support modification could be needed for several different reasons. Just a few are:
• A dramatic change in income levels
• A dramatic change in expenses
• Changes in parenting plans or how much time the child is spending with each parent
In each situation, it would be up to the parents to provide evidence proving their case for or against child support modification. If a parent changes jobs and is making less money than he or she was when the order was initially put in place, he or she can petition for lower child support payments.
If something happens with the parenting plan, and the parent paying child support also ends up doing a lot of the child-rearing, then the court may or may not change child support orders based on that.
Signing up a child for sports or enrolling him or her in child care may cost more money than it did when he or she was a newborn or a toddler. If that’s the case, then under family law, the parent can request an increase in child payments.
How is it determined?
A lawyer can walk you through the steps of applying for a child support modification. The court will look at all the evidence provided by both parents and make a decision that works for everyone while keeping the best interest of the child in mind.