When Your Child Support No Longer Works For You

In Missouri, it is the norm for both parents of a child to share the financial responsibility of providing for their children. If the parents are divorced, separated or co-parenting, child support is determined by using a worksheet called Form 14. Based on the information provided on the form, it will calculate what parent must pay child support to the other to ensure their child’s needs are provided for. This form takes into consideration the income of both parents, how much time the child spends with each parent, what expenses are required for the child & whether the parents have any other child support obligations in place. 

Whichever parent receives the majority of the parenting time is usually the parent that is awarded child support. In the case of 50/50 custody, the parent who makes more money will be required to pay the other parent unless they can prove that they are already paying more in the form of health insurance, childcare expenses, etc. 

If you desire a change in child support, you must show that there has been a significant change in life circumstances to warrant an adjustment. A motion to modify child support would need to be filed with the court that granted the existing order. Examples of significant changes may include the loss of a job, a significant increase or decrease in income, a change in who pays for the child’s health insurance, a change to childcare expenses, etc. Based on the new financial data, a new Form 14 would need to be completed to calculate what is fair based on these new circumstances. It could simply adjust the amount up or down, but it could also switch which parents receives the support depending on the financial information. 

If you’re looking to make a change to your child support agreement and the other parent is not in full agreement with the proposed changes, it is best to consult with an attorney. An experienced family law attorney will be able to explain how the process works and give you realistic expectations for what the outcome may be. Daniel Finder at Finder Law, LLC has over a decade of experience litigating child support modifications and his knowledge of the process will help guide you through the legal steps to accomplish your goals.

Call our office today to set up a consultation to see how our attorney can help you get the support you deserve.