Child Support Lawyer in Virginia

How do I modify my child support agreement?

When two parties have children together, whether or not the parties are married, the court has the authority to award child support for purposes of distributing child related expenses. Child support is awarded by the court in accordance with statutory guidelines that are based on a handful of factors.

These factors include:

• Each party’s gross income
• The number of children that the parties have together
• Child-related costs such as day care and health insurance

The support guidelines can be impacted by the custodial arrangement (the time shared between parents). Additionally, the court will order the parties to share out-of-pocket medical expenses and determine the parties’ shares of those kinds of costs.

Once a child support order is entered by the court, the parties are required to abide by the terms of that order. However, the law also allows for either parent to seek a modification of child support so long as he or she can show a material change in circumstances justifying the requested change.

Caring Help from a Northern Virginia Child Support Lawyer

In order to be successful in modifying your current child support arrangement, you must be able to prove that there has been a material change in circumstances since entry of the last support order. Some of the most common reasons for seeking a child support modification include a change in income, a change in costs incurred for child care, or a substantial change in the custodial arrangement.

It is also important for parties to understand that even if they agree between them on some modification in support, that such change is not legally effective unless it is approved by the court.

Whatever the significant change may be, our firm can provide you with the legal counsel for purposes of assessing your modification claim, and pursuing that claim in court. ShounBach has many knowledgeable Northern Virginia divorce attorneys who are well-acquainted with issues relating to child support and the ways that a parent can seek more support or seek a reduction in his or her support obligation. At ShounBach, we can help you protect your rights and we will fight hard to assist you in adjusting support.