When you divorce your partner and children are involved, child support is always involved. You should note that it’s the responsibility of both parents to provide for their children so that they can have a comfortable life.

When you are paying child support, there are plenty of things you should know. Here are some of these things as given by child support lawyers:

Your monthly obligations can increase or decrease

Many people have the impression that child support amount that is decided by the court remains constant throughout the paying period. This isn’t the case. The amount can increase or decrease depending on many factors.

If you prove financial difficulties such as loss of a job, business not doing well, among many other things, the court can lower it to the amount that you are comfortable with. You only need to find a lawyer who will help you out.

When filing for a reduction in the amount of child support, most courts will require you to have solid evidence. This can prove long term unemployment, disability, or any other dramatic change in your income.

Just as your child support obligation can decrease, it can also increase. This happens when your former spouse has substantial proof that you are making more than you were making when the child support order was put in place.

You should note that even if your ex shows that you are earning more hence you should be paying more in child support, you need to challenge it with your attorney. You can show that you have other obligations, and so on.

Another child might affect the amount you are paying

Did you know that having another child affects the amount that you pay in child support? Obviously, when you have another child, you have more people to take care of; therefore, you can’t afford to be paying the same amount that you used to.

Just like when filing for a reduction in child support payments due to changes in your financial situation, you should find an expert attorney who will help you in professionally demonstrating in court that your obligations are now more and you should get a reduction.

Your parenting time has a great impact on your child support obligation

In most states, the amount of child support you pay depends on the amount of time you spend with your children. The parent who spends more time with the children often ends up paying the least.

This means that if you are looking to substantially reduce the amount of child support that you pay, you should increase your parenting time. You can do this by increasing your custody or visiting time. When you increase your provision of housing, clothing, and food, your child support should be lower.

You should note that you have to prove this in court. You don’t have to simply say it. This calls for you to collect the relevant documents. For example, when you buy clothes for the children, you should keep the receipts or even take photos. When you take the children on an outing you should keep the relevant proof.

Don’t fail to pay child support payments

When the court orders you to make a certain amount of money in child support every month, you should ensure that you do it. It’s common for people to lose jobs or their businesses fail. When this happens, you shouldn’t simply stop making the payments.

The best way is to notify the court about it and discuss with the judge and your former spouse on the amount that you are comfortable paying.

You should note that failure to pay child support can lead to criminal penalties. For example, you can be suspended from driving, your lottery winnings can be intercepted, your passport can be canceled, among many other things.

For you to avoid the repercussions that come with failing to pay child support, you should work with your divorce lawyers Fairfax VA and present your case in court. As a rule of thumb, ensure that the lawyers are highly experienced and certified to handle child support cases.