Raising a child is seldom cheap. Even if a child has perfect teeth and never gets sick, you will have the normal expenses such as buying clothes and shoes as your child grows. If your child develops an interest in sports, music or other forms of expression, you can plan on paying for equipment and lessons. Of course, as your child reaches the teen years, you will have other expenses that may break your budget.
Child support payments that the Texas court ordered may be helpful, but you may be feeling that the money does not stretch far enough to cover the necessities, not to mention those extras that make your child happy. However, if your circumstances or your ex’s have changed since your original support order, you may be wondering if you can request a modification of that order.
Why might I seek a child support modification?
It is common for a supporting partner to request modifications when he or she experiences a financial setback. If your ex-partner asks the court to reduce his or her payment amount, it may be related to job loss, a medical emergency or another situation that makes it difficult to meet the obligations of the order. However, it is not unusual for a custodial parent to seek an adjustment to the amount he or she receives each month for any of these or other reasons:
- You experience a financial hardship that makes it difficult to maintain the home where the child lives.
- Your child has unexpected or ongoing medical expenses.
- Your child requires educational services that would be an added cost to you.
- You are struggling with an increase in the normal cost of items or services you provide for your child with support funds.
- You learn that your ex-spouse has experienced a financial advantage, such as a raise, promotion or inheritance.
Your first step in seeking a modification is to obtain information about whether you are eligible. If your court order is fairly recent or you have obtained a modification within the past two years, you may have to wait before filing again.
You should also anticipate your ex-partner objecting to the request for more money, which may increase the challenge of obtaining a modification. You can gain more information about your eligibility and the process of filing for a modification with the Texas family court by reaching out to a family law attorney.
