Will a Lower-Paying Job Affect Child Support Payments?

One of the new responsibilities you now have after your divorce is paying your ex-spouse child support. You pay the amount every month without fail. However, the company you work for has fallen on hard times. Before you know it, you lose your job. Fortunately, you’re able to find new employment rather quickly; however, your new job doesn’t pay as much as your last job. You try to budget to make things work for you, but you soon experience trouble paying your child support every month. Is there a way you can change the payments?

Yes, you can change the amount of child support you pay. First, understand how your child support payments were calculated in the first place. When the court is awarding child support, they combine the net income of both parents. This includes any wages, unemployment benefits, pensions, or rent. Once they have a gross of income of the parents, there can be some deductions such as income taxes, any relationships the parents have with other children or significant others.

Since your economic status has changed since the divorce, you can request a modification of your child support payments. To do this, you have to file a motion with the court asking the judge to grant a change to your payments. You then have to prove that not only is the change a permanent one, but also has a major impact on you.

Once the judge agrees with the modification, your ex-spouse will have to supply his./her current financial situation before a ruling can be made. This is just to make sure that the child receives the best care possible.

If this sounds tricky, you may want to consider talking to an experienced child support attorney to walk you through the process. For the past 26 years, the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone has been handling these type of cases throughout New Jersey. Contact us today for a free consultation. Before going through a divorce, you should learn your rights as a parent. Download our ebook on