It is no secret that the economy has been struggling in the last few years. Many people have found good work, but others have had their jobs shut down or cut back on their hours.
If you’re in the category of people who is struggling to find work to make ends meet, the idea of paying the child support you owe might be overwhelming. You may have a hard time covering your necessities without that additional obligation.
If you’re struggling to pay child support, you need to speak with the court as soon as you can. There are times when modifications of support would be allowed, which could help you reduce what you owe in the future and make it easier to stay on track.
When should you seek a modification of child support?
Your child deserves to be supported by both parents, but if you don’t have money to send, then it may be impossible for you to do so. Instead of skipping payments or trying to work something out with the other parent outside of court, now is a good time to ask for a modification in court.
It’s normal to ask for a child support modification if you have lost your job or if your job has cut down your hours significantly. Showing a judge that your income has dropped by a significant amount through the use of your paystubs, for example, will help them recalculate what you should pay each month.
You may be able to work out other ways to reduce the impact of that lost income, too. Maybe you can watch your child an extra day or two a week to cut down on the cost of daycare, or perhaps you can take a few more hours with your child to give the other parent more time to work and make up the difference while you look for work yourself.
People’s lives change, and money does fluctuate. If your income has changed dramatically, it’s worth discussing the possibility of a child support modification, so you can retain what you need to support yourself and still keep up with the obligation of paying support for your child.
