ClickCease
WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS. CALL US. 415.834.1120

What should I know about child support modifications?

Request a Consultation

Were you ordered by the court to pay child support to your ex-spouse? Has your situation changed since the order was made? If you said yes to both of these questions, then you might be considering a child support modification. But just like so many of our readers, you might have some trepidation about requesting a change to your support payments. You might even have some questions about the process that we will hopefully be able to answer in this week’s post.

While some people might get a child support modification because their financial situation has improved and they are able to pay more support to their ex-spouse, many other people need to get a modification for the opposite reason. It’s important to remember though that there are a lot of factors that judges take into consideration when determining child support amounts. This means that even if your income has decreased, this might not be enough to support a request for a modified payment amount.

A lot of people think too that modifications are requested by only one parent. But here in the state of California, one or both parents may request a change to the order. It’s important to point out though that the petitioner or petitioners must “show that there has been a ‘change in circumstances‘ since the last child support order was made.”

If parents are able to come to an agreement about a new amount, they may submit the amount for a judge’s review. But if an agreement cannot be reached, then one parent will need to file a motion for modification.

It’s considered a good idea, when reaching a verbal agreement with your ex-spouse regarding modifications for child support payments, to get that agreement in writing. Not having physical proof of an agreement has been known to create legal problems for some couples, particularly if it has not been signed by a judge. It’s worth noting too that if a judge does not sign a new court order that reflects the modification, then the terms of the existing order will not change and could still be enforced.

Sources: Nj.com, “Your Legal Corner: Modification of a child support order,” June 22, 2014

Courts.ca.gov, “Changing a Child Support Order,” Accessed June 24, 2014

Our Awards and Memberships

Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C., recognizes that family law matters involve complex, sensitive issues that can have a lasting impact on you, your family, your finances and your future.

More About Honors & Awards
Arrow Image
10.0 Avvo Superb Top Attorney Family Law, Divorce
Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys 2017
100 TOP WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES Women Who Lead
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS (AAML)
2022 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law Attorneys 10 Best
100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies In the Bay Area San Francisco Business Times
2021 LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESSES Business Pride
10 Best Female Attorneys 2017 American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
San Francisco Bay Area's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For Winner 2021
2018 Best Lawyers Best Law Firms U.S. News & World Report
California Board of Legal Specialization (CBLS) State Bar of California
2020 Client Champion Debra R. Schoenberg
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards 2019
Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in Concord 2020
2018 Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in San Francisco
Fast 100
Lead Counsel Rated
Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) Fellow
National Board of Trial Advocacy
2017 Parents' Press Best of The Bay
San Francisco Business Times
Rated By Super Lawyers Debra R. Schoenberg
The Business of Pride
2021 Best Businesses Three Best Rated
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards & Summit
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys of 2018
Arrow Image