The details of practicing family law in Fort Pierce, FL, are often complex and emotionally driven. There are so many intricate steps and procedures to navigate because the courts are doing everything possible to protect the children in the situation.
Unfortunately, all these complex issues make trying to find a fair and equitable situation easy to reach. Even when both parents are 100% on the same page, procedures must be met so everything holds up in the long term. After all, you never know what can happen in a day, week, month, or few years.
Florida law will allow the modification of most child support arrangements under specific conditions. This condition is considered a “substantial change in circumstances” and refers to a shift in income, a change in parenting time, or something along those lines. No matter the situation, the change in support must be at least 15% or $50 in value, whichever is greater, to qualify for modification.
Critical Reasons for Modifying Child Support
There are many reasons to request a modification beyond these situations, but this list includes the most common we see at Dadan Law Firm:
- A change in income from either parent paying support requires a new calculation to be completed.
- A change in parenting time, where the reality of where the child is staying is different from the outlined support agreement.
- Additional costs affect child support like education, health care, insurance, or childcare.
Another less-used reason is moving. When a parent moves or is remarried, that can often trigger a change to the overall legal arrangement, which may impact child support payments. This is another reason you should seek the help of a qualified family law in Fort Pierce, FL attorney.
The Procedure for Modifying Child Support in Florida
The challenging side of child support modification is the procedures you must follow. These steps may be different from county to county, but tend to follow the basic outline throughout the state. You’ll need to file a Supplemental Petition, serve that potation to the other parent, receive financial documents, and often address mediation concerns before moving to a full court hearing.
There are also the concerns of the Florida Department of Revenue. Any time they are involved in a Child Support Hearing, things get extremely complex quickly. Without an attorney experienced in family law in Fort Pierce, FL, you run the risk of paying significantly more money or losing out on funds the other parent should be paying you.
Conclusion
The best way to protect your rights and provide the highest quality outcome for your child is to hire our team at Dadan Law Firm. We have years of experience in family law in Fort Pierce, FL, and can offer the insights, support, and strategies you need.
Give us a call at 772-263-7417 for a free consultation. We work across Fort Pierce, West Palm Beach, Vero Beach, and more. Let’s keep your child well protected and get to work today.