child support Modification

You and your child's other parent may agree to modify the child support terms, but even an agreed-upon modification for child support must be approved by a judge to be legally enforceable.

If you and your ex can't agree on a change, you must request the court to hold a hearing in which each of you can argue the pros and cons of the proposed modification. As a general rule, the court will not modify an existing order unless the parent proposing the modification can show changed circumstances. This rule encourages stability of arrangements and helps prevent the court from becoming overburdened with frequent and repetitive modification requests.

Depending on the circumstances, a modification may be temporary or permanent. Examples of the types of changes that frequently support temporary modification orders are:

• a child's medical emergency
• the payer's temporary inability to pay (for instance, because of illness or an additional financial burden such as a medical emergency or job loss), or
• temporary economic or medical hardship on the part of the recipient parent.

A permanent modification may be awarded under one of the following circumstances:

• either parent receives additional income from remarriage
• changes in the child support laws
• job change of either parent
• cost of living increase
• disability of either parent, or
• needs of the child.

A permanent modification of a child support order will remain in effect until support is no longer required or the order is modified at a later time -- again, because of changed circumstances.

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