Parents in Michigan who are no longer together need to provide for their children. Sometimes, it’s necessary to request modifications to the original child support order. It’s important to know when this is appropriate.
Are child support modifications permanent?
Depending on the circumstances, modifications to a child support order might be permanent or even temporary. Often, they’re permanent, but they can be temporary if the situation involves a special situation or emergency. If parents have a child support order in place, permanent or temporary modifications may need to take place due to changes in the child’s life.
When do you need a child support modification?
There are different reasons you might have to request a child support modification from the court. One of the biggest reasons behind it is that a parent’s income has suddenly changed. It could happen if their income increased or decreased.
If a parent has suddenly become disabled, they might no longer be able to work. This could call for modifications to child support. Incarceration of a parent also means there must be modifications made.
In most cases, a child support modification might be needed due to the child’s changing needs. For example, if the child is attending a new private school that’s expensive or if they have suddenly developed a serious medical issue that requires higher child support payments to cover the costs of medical care, the court could approve modifications to the existing child support order.
If the parent paying child support suddenly has a new child or remarries and has stepchildren to care for, they might request a child support modification. The court would consider making modifications due to the financial obligation that person now has to their new child or new blended family so that they can accommodate all of them.
The court will look into the reasons behind the request to modify the child support order. This must be a legitimate reason and not something like voluntarily taking a lower-paying job to pay less.
