When you are the parent with more obligations to your children, child support from your ex will help you make ends meet.
Although the parent paying child support likely complains that it affects their finances, as the one receiving it, you know that child support isn’t very much. It doesn’t come anywhere close to covering the costs for the clothing, food and other supplies children constantly require.
When your circumstances have changed, you might be able to ask for more child support. When could you request a higher amount of support?
When you have started taking on more parenting time
The number of parenting responsibilities each parent has influences how much child support the other parent pays. If your ex no longer makes use of their parenting time or frequently cancels, you may be able to ask for a change in the official custody order and an increase in child support to reflect their actual contributions.
When your income drops or theirs goes up
The income of each parent is an important consideration when establishing child support amounts. If you have lost your job or your ex has recently received a major promotion with a raise, you may have reason to ask for more child support.
When your children have more expenses
Child support can factor in exceptional costs. If your child has a medical emergency, requires specialized child care or has unusual educational demands, it may cost more to care for them than it does for other children. When the costs associated with caring for your child increase significantly, that could lead to more support as well.
Knowing when you can ask for a child support modification can help you better provide for your children. If you’re uncertain about what steps to take, there is help available.
