Modifying Child Support

You can modify child support at any time so long as you can prove one thing:

1. There would be a 15% change between the current support amount ordered and the new amount to be ordered.

For example, if your current support amount is $100 per month, you would have to show that the new support amount would be $115 per month to get an upward modification or $85 to get a downward modification.  If the calculations came out to anything between $86-$114, your Petition to Modify Child Support would be denied.

Numerous factors affect the calculation of child support.  Some of those include:

1. GROSS income of the parties (minus allowable deductions for self-employed individuals).

2. Number of days out of the year that each parent spends with the child(ren).

3. How much each parent pays for health insurance for the child(ren) per month.

4. How much each parent pays for work -related child care for the child(ren) per month.

5. How much each parent pays for uncovered medical expenses for the child(ren) per month.

6. Other children living in the home of each parent.

7. Other children not living in the home of each parent.

8. The Guidelines also allow for deviations up or down under limited exceptional circumstances.