When the court decides upon child support, some believe that the amount is final. However, it is not set in stone. Child support may be modified at any point down the road when there has been a change in circumstance from the time of the last child support order. Examples of changed circumstances include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• One or both parents’ income has changed;
• One of the parents lost their job;
• One of the parents gets incarcerated or institutionalized against their will;
• One of the parents has another child with a different partner;
• There is a significant change in the length of time the child spends with each parent;
• There is a change in the child’s needs regarding health care, education, child care, etc; and
• There are changes in other factors that the state of California uses to calculate child support.

Child support calculations are based on some of the following factors:

• Each parent’s income;
• General living and other costs for each parent;
• Child care costs;
• Medical insurance costs;
• Disability, such as Supplemental Security Income;
• Unemployment and unemployment benefits;
• Custody and visitation arrangements;
• Income from retirement; and
• Incarceration status.

When No Change in Circumstance is Necessary

If the judge previously set support at below the guideline amount, it is possible to ask for a modification without a change in circumstance. Even if the parents came to this non-guideline support order in agreement, you can ask for a modification at any time, according to California Courts. Additionally, when both parents agree upon a new amount of child support amount, they can send in a written stipulation to a judge and have it made into a new order.

Call the Family Law Office of Charles D. Stark Today for Help Modifying Child Support

If you wish to get an idea of what your child support payments should be, or what you should be receiving in terms of child support, California’s Child Support Calculator is a good quick step for an estimate. However, you need the legal assistance of an experienced family law attorney to get an accurate assessment and to make legal changes to the child support order. Call the Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, office of Charles D. Stark today at 707-527-9900 to set up a free of charge consultation at your soonest convenience.