Pittsburgh Child Support Modification Attorney

Can I Change a Child Support Order?

Child support must minimally cover the basic needs of any minor children, and children over the age of 18 who are mentally or physically disabled and unable to support themselves. A support order can be modified, but only when the court agrees that there have been substantial changes in circumstances of either parent. The goal is to have a fair support order in place to provide for the minor children of the marriage.

Some of the changes in circumstances can include:

• Loss of employment
• Injury resulting in a decrease of income
• Retirement
• Emancipation of any minor children

The current age of the children may warrant a divorce modification if child care expenses are no longer necessary. An important change in circumstances is an increase in income of either parent.

Reporting an Increase in Income

Pennsylvania requires that any increase in income be reported to ensure the support order is fair to both parents and particularly the children. The court can recalculate the income and expenses of the parents and award retroactive arrears. This can activate aggressive collection from the State as these arrears can be very significant if the increase in income occurred months or years ago. Opting out of the workforce or voluntarily reducing income are not grounds for reducing child support payments.

Child Support Lawyer in Pittsburgh

At the Rosen Family Law Group, we have limited our practice to family law and have helped hundreds of families navigate through the complex law surrounding divorce. Contact our Pittsburgh divorce lawyer if you feel that you are entitled to a modification and we will guide you through the process. We pride ourselves in being able to deliver personal, caring guidance to our clients in Allegheny County.

Call us today to get started with an initial case review!