For a while, the child support order you worked out with your former spouse worked well. Recent changes in your life or finances now make you wonder whether to change your child support order.
Money Crashers discusses how and when to alter child support. You do not have to feel stuck with an order you feel no longer serves your shared child’s needs or your current circumstances.
When states automatically change child support orders
Unless you and the other parent step forward to request a child support order modification, Minnesota courts keep the order the same. That said, two instances exist in which the state steps in: when Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients undergo a three-year case review and when the cost-of-living changes. If you or your former partner want to change the order, you may request a review every three years.
When parents experience an income change
If a divorced parent either earns a raise or takes a pay cut, she or he may request a child support change with help from the local child support agency. To support the modification request, parents must provide proof of income, such as a paystub, or a financial statement of expenses and income.
Even if both parents agree to alter a child support order, they should still make the change official and legal. That way, both enjoy greater legal protection.
When shared children shift households
Over time, the noncustodial parent may become the custodial parent if a shared child spends more time at the noncustodial parent’s household. The parent paying child support may not have to pay as much after requesting a review.
Divorced parents must know how child support modification works. With the right information, they protect their financial interests and provide for their shared child.
