As a divorced parent, you know that life can happen fast. While your original child support order may have worked in the beginning, your financial circumstances and your children’s needs are bound to evolve over time.
In Indiana, parents can ask a family law judge to review their support agreement if major life and/or financial changes make the current order unworkable.
When can you request a support adjustment?
The court may only agree to alter support amounts if one of the following is true:
- It has been at least 12 months since the current order began and, if calculated today using state guidelines, payment amounts would be more than 20% higher or lower
- A substantial and ongoing change in circumstances makes the current order unfeasible
If you know your ex-spouse’s income, the Indiana Supreme Court’s Child Support Calculator may give you an idea of what your child support amounts should be according to state guidelines.
What are examples of substantial changes in circumstance?
Whether due to a job loss, the need to relocate or new expenses related to your children’s education and care, there are many reasons that you may need to revisit support amounts. Other examples of changes the court might consider substantial include:
- A major increase or decrease in your income or your ex-spouse’s income
- Changes in health care costs and/or coverage
- Changes in your parenting time arrangements
It is important to know that you can request a review of support whether you are the paying or receiving parent. Once the court has reviewed your case, a judge may increase or decrease payments or decide that support amounts should remain the same.
