After finalizing your divorce, you and your ex must fulfill the financial obligations indicated in the agreement, including child support. However, life happens, and you might be unable to keep up with child support payments. You can request a child support modification, depending on the circumstances.
It starts by knowing your eligibility for the modification. Once you send the request, Child Support Enforcement (CSE) will review it and verify its details. Still, eligibility depends on multiple factors. You might be eligible if one or more of these conditions apply to you:
- Three years have passed since establishing or modifying the child support order.
- The child support amount has a 25% difference from the amount indicated in the guidelines.
- You underwent a significant change in circumstances since the enforcement of the child support order.
If you request modification due to new circumstances, the review might cover changes in your income, the child’s financial needs or living arrangements. Still, getting approval could significantly depend on the CSE’s findings after reviewing your request.
What happens next?
After sending in the request, you could send vital information to the CSE within 30 days. The details might include:
- Current income
- Child care expenses
- Costs for health care insurance
- Educational expenses
- Medical expenses not covered by insurance
- Miscellaneous expenses, such as transportation
You need to make copies of the documents with these details and send them to CSE. Additionally, you might need to pay filing and other administrative fees throughout the process. Then, you’ll have to wait for any updates and provide further paperwork as required.
Getting a modification might seem tedious, but it is another essential part of life after divorce. As you go through life-altering circumstances, the law has ways to accommodate them, so you can still meet your legal obligations.