You make sure to pay child support every month because you recognize how much your child needs these financial resources. Yet there may come a time when your current child support order is no longer working for you.
For example, your income may have changed, you may have had a new child born to you or you could have incurred a hefty bill that is taking the financial resources you used to allocate for child support. If these changes are significant, you may want to learn more about modifying child support in Washington.
When can you modify a child support order in Washington?
If your current child support order is less than a year old, you can only have it modified if you can show a substantial change in circumstances has occurred making you unable to pay. Note that quitting your job or voluntarily taking fewer hours is not considered a substantial change in circumstances.
After a year has passed since your most recent order, you can seek a modification if it imposes severe economic hardship on you or the child. If two years have passed since your most recent order, you can seek a modification even if your reason for the modification does not rise to the level of a substantial change in circumstances.
Making sure child support is fair
Ultimately, we want a fair result in your child support dilemma. First and foremost, your child must be receiving the financial resources they need. However, we do not want to impose an unfair burden on either parent. Sometimes a child support modification is necessary to restore the balance in meeting the child’s best interests in a manner that both parents can agree is fair.
