After a divorce has been settled — this includes the financial division and child custody arrangements — some parents wonder, can these decisions ever be modified? Certainly, the Texas family law court understands that life and living situations change and this may lead to a desire the change in child support arrangements. The short answer is yes, the child support agreement can be modified. However, if one parent wishes for it to stay the same, it can be difficult.
You breathe a sigh of relief, you have made it through divorce proceedings and you couldn’t be happier! However, this state of contentment is short-lived when your life changes in a few months and your child custody arrangement is no longer feasible. This could be due to loss of a job or serious injury which in turn can affect income. If income changes this could make it difficult to make child support payments in full and on time.
The first thing to consider is talking to your ex-spouse. It’s possible that they could be very understanding as to why child support payments cannot be made in full or on time. However, it is often found that this is not the case and other options must be sought.
It is important to act quickly and seek child support modification options as soon as possible. It is also crucial that you keep up with child support payments as best as you possibly can. It is also very important to keep a record of your income fluctuations in order to demonstrate to the family court your financial hardship.
Swiftness is the key to success when dealing with child support modifications. To act quickly and efficiently will bode well for you and your child during this time. Do not ignore your other responsibilities as a father or mother if you are unable to financially contribute as you normally would. Remember that the relationship with the child is most important during this time of change.
Source: FindLaw, “Child Support Modification Tips,” Accessed April 6, 2015