After South Carolina parents get a divorce, the court issues a child support order. While both are expected to abide by that, circumstances might change. These are reasons why you should request modifications to your child support order.
Change of income
If one parent has suddenly had a change in income, it’s a legitimate reason to request child support modifications. This can be done whether the paying parent’s income has increased or decreased or if the one receiving support has experienced such a change. These issues can occur for various reasons, but both parents must continue supporting their children.
Loss of employment
When the parent paying child support loses their job, they might think they can stop paying. However, this is not the case; they’re still obligated to continue financially supporting the child by making payments to the custodial parent. This is an excellent reason to ask the court to modify the original support order; it’s to accommodate the parent’s current financial situation. After they secure a new job, the order can be changed again.
The child’s needs have changed
As children grow, their needs naturally change. The support order should reflect that they might need additional or less money for educational expenses, transportation or special needs. For example, kids switching from private to public school have fewer expenses. Meanwhile, if a child suddenly becomes disabled, more child support is needed for medical care.
A parent has health issues
Family law allows child support modifications if a parent’s health status has taken a turn for the worse. If they become seriously ill or disabled, they might be unable to work and pay support.
Many things in life are uncertain; as such, it might be time to consider modifying your original child support order.