It’s almost guaranteed that your job or lifestyle will change at some point in your life. When you’re paying child support as a noncustodial parent, then you may want to have the amount you’re going to pay altered. Why would you want to do this?
Maybe your new job doesn’t pay as well as the old one, so you need to pay less child support. Or, your new job could pay much more than your job in the past, meaning you should be paying more child support. In either case, you can speak with your attorney and request a change in your child support order.
Child support modification is normally done when you change your employment status or type. So, if you suddenly lose your job, it would be reasonable to request a modification. The same is true if you haven’t been working but have now found a job and need to start paying support to your child.
There are reasons other than your employment status that can result in a change in child support. For instance, if your child suddenly has more needs, like if he or she suffers a medical problem or long-term diagnosis, or if the other parent becomes disabled or loses work, then you may find that you have to pay more for child support. If child support laws in your area change or if the other parent is put into prison or jail, you may also find your child support order can be modified to suit the new situation.
Whenever you find yourself in a situation where you can request a modification, it’s important that you do so right away. Waiting can mean you’ll need to pay more back later or simply that you will struggle with payments until a new order goes through.
Source: FindLaw, “Can I Change a Child Support Order After Changing Jobs?,” accessed Oct. 05, 2015