An attorney who handles cases involving child custody and visitation scheduling may be asked to provide legal representation when a divorced parent wants to modify original arrangements. Even if both parents agree on the modification, setting it forth in legal documentation is important for protecting the rights of each parent. Child Support in Suffolk County, NY is another factor that a parent might want to have modified. This request usually arises when the parent paying child support to the custodial parent has a change in income that makes it difficult for him to afford the original amount.
The economy continues to be rough for many middle-class folks, and a parent who has been paying child support regularly for years may suddenly find himself out of a job. He may have to take a job that pays much less than he had been accustomed to making. A lawyer such as Patricia Issberner can help him petition the court for a modification of child support so he can have his payments lowered to an affordable amount. The court allows for this request, but it does not allow a person to modify child support if he left a job voluntarily.
The individual may have decided to continue paying the original amount of child support even if his income has been reduced, but he may ask to have additional contributions stopped or reduced. He may have voluntarily been paying all his ex-spouse’s child care expenses, for example, as part of the original agreement for Child Support in Suffolk County, NY. Now, his lawyer can petition the court to have that amount pro-rated so each parent pays a reasonable share of the expense.
These matters progress smoothly when the ex-spouses are in agreement. However, the custodial parent may not like the proposed arrangement and may have her own lawyer work to deny any modifications. Skilled legal representation for the noncustodial parent is essential. The child support modification process may be nearly incomprehensible to individuals who have little or no expertise in the law, but lawyers handle cases like this regularly. They can be very effective at helping a client avoid financial hardship after his income is reduced.