Serving Central Ohio Since 1983

Can I have child support orders modified?

On Behalf of | Jan 27, 2016 | Child Support

A lot can change in the lives of parents and children over time: People move, change or lose jobs, get promoted, suffer serious injuries or illnesses, divorce and get remarried. With all that can change, there are some situations in which long-term agreements like orders for child support need to be reassessed and changed.

If you are an Ohio parent who pays or receives child support, you should understand that you can have these orders for support reviewed every 36 months in order to ensure they are still appropriate and in the best interests of the child.

However, if you want to have support orders modified, then you will need to establish that a significant change makes the current arrangement inappropriate or unreasonable. Short-term, relatively insignificant changes may not persuade the court to modify court orders.

As explained by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, you may qualify for a support modification or adjustment in cases where you or the other parent has lost a job and been unemployed for 30 days in a row or if one of you experiences a 30 percent decrease in income and do not expect that to change for quite some time.

The courts may also approve a request for adjustment if the needs of the child have changed dramatically, which can be the case if a child gets sick or seriously injured resulting in high medical care costs.

As we mentioned above, however, you can only request a review of a child support order if 36 months have passed since it was last reviewed or changed.

If you have questions about modifying child support payments, it can be crucial that you discuss them with your attorney who can explain this process and your options. Being prepared and informed can help you assess the situation and avoid potentially costly mistakes.

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