Hi! My name is Sam, and I started this blog to help other injured people. Before you start reading, let me tell you a little about myself. Ten years ago, I slipped on a slice of fruit in a grocery store. My leg slid out from under me, and in a freak twist, it was rendered useless. I could no longer work and struggled with intense pain every day. Luckily, I found an accident and injury attorney who was able to get me the compensation I needed to cover my medical bills and my lost time at work. However, while I waited for the settlement to come through, I had to get creative physically and financially. This blog is dedicated to anyone who is in that limbo position. I hope the posts here help you decide what to do while you wait for the results of your trial.
If you are paying child support, it is important to understand situations that might augment the payments. Being aware of what custody agreements are based on is important, since changes in your life and current situation can come into play. Here are four situations that might trigger child support augmentation.
1. If You Come into Money After Your Divorce
If you win a court settlement in another area of your life, your ex-spouse may have rights to a portion of this money. Even a settlement from a personal injury case can be cause for a percentage of this to go to your children and ex-spouse, especially if you are behind on child support payments. Inheriting money or other assets can put you in the same boat even if this came along after your divorce.
2. If Custody Arrangements Change
Remember that there is a direct correlation between child custody and support payouts. If you are parenting your children more, meet with your lawyer to document this. You can then take steps to adjust your custody agreements with the courts so that your support is lowered. On the flip-side, if you aren't holding up your end of a custody agreement, your ex-spouse may take you to court and fight for full custody. This will in turn cause your support payments to increase.
3. If the Needs of Children Change
If your children have more needs as they get older, you may have to start contributing more child support. This might be one-time costs such as braces, but can also bring on a more long term agreement. If there are ongoing health issues or if children's expenses have increased because of school or activities child support may be augmented permanently.
4. If Your Employment Changes
Child support can be directly related to your income level as well. If your income increases because of a promotion, your ex-spouse might rally to raise your child support payments. On the other hand, if you are laid off, you can work with your lawyer to have an adjustment in your favor, so that you don't fall behind on payments that you cannot afford to make anymore.
Handling family obligations after divorce can be tricky and can lead to miscommunications and possibly further legal repercussions. Be sure to work with your lawyer to stay ahead of the game and understand what might make child support levels change. If you know your rights, your ex-spouse is less likely to try to take advantage and make you pay more than you should.
Share23 April 2015
