Many people want to know if a child support order is final or whether it can be modified in the future. The answer is that in limited scenarios, there may be the option to have a child support order modified. Not every situation will qualify, and even those cases for modification that are heard in court may not be granted. It is important to speak with a knowledgeable Maryland child support attorney who can answer all your questions on modification orders.

In order to have a child support order modified, there must be a material change in status to warrant the potential change in support. Here is a look at some of the ways you may get the judge to modify his or her original child support order.

Material Change in Circumstances

Modification requests can be to increase or decrease the amount of child support currently being paid. You can also request a modification for custody. For child support modifications, some of the material changes in circumstances can include:

• Change in Income: Perhaps one parent has been terminated, demoted, or laid off. This is probably the most common reason for a child support modification order. It’s unfortunate, but jobs do change, and people may run into issues from time to time. Just note: courts are wise to people who are purposely not taking promotions at work, holding themselves back, etc. just to avoid paying more in child support. Usually a change in income of 25% up or down will warrant qualification as a material change.
• Child’s School Situation Changes: Some parents pay for private school for their children. Or, maybe there are extra supplies required for the upcoming school year. If tuition goes up or you move and your children are no longer attending the same school, it could warrant a modification.
• Child’s Needs Change: There may be situations in which your children’s needs change. Has your child been diagnosed with a new medical condition that is going to require extra costs for treatment and ongoing care? This is an example of a situation that could qualify for a child support modification.
• Child No Longer a Minor: If one of your children is not an adult and there is still an active order of support, you can apply to have the order modified.

It is important to note that you need to file right away when a change occurs. For example, if you lose your job in June, but you do not file for a modification until the following year, the court will not adjust your back-owed child support from when the change occurred, only from the point in which you filed. This is why it is important to reach out to a Charles County family law attorney right away who can assist with filing the forms. Do not attempt to handle it on your own and risk delaying the process even longer.

Contact a Maryland Child Support Attorney

If you have questions on child support modification orders, or any other Maryland family law topics, contact the Law Office of Robert R. Castro today at 301-870-1200 to schedule an initial consultation.