Florida parents do what they can to provide the best life possible for their children. In situations where the parents no longer cohabitate, there is often a child support order in place dictating how much one parent must pay to the other. Since children grow and situations change, it may become necessary to modify an original order.
Modifying this order is not difficult, but it must meet specific criteria. The firm of Rechel & Associates, P.A., wants to provide you with the information you need to understand what it takes to modify a child support order. Take some time to explore some of the parameters the state has in place to do so.
Change in income
The most common reason a parent seeks a modification of an order is a change in income. The parent seeking the modification must prove the change is substantial and warrants adjustment. The petitioner must demonstrate that the adjustment will result in a 15% increase or decrease of child support, or at least $50. One factor that may justify the change is a shift in timesharing. Changing the number of days a parent has the children may cause the 15% change benchmark to trigger.
Change in expenses
While not as common, some parents seek modification due to a significant shift in monthly expenses. Justifying the change may depend on what the original order includes as part of child support. Some of the costs that could justify a modification include:
- Healthcare costs increase or decrease
- Daycare costs
- Alimony ends
- Payroll taxes change
- Other child support orders
Modification of existing child support orders may seem complicated, but it may work wonders for your situation. Follow the link to get more information about this and other family law matters.
The post Modifying a child support order appeared first on Rechel and Associates.