In Connecticut and many other states, a child support order is based on the amount of money each parent makes. The financial needs of the child are also taken into consideration. For instance, the parent of a child who has special medical or educational needs may be expected to pay more each month. If necessary, a parent can ask for a reduction in the amount of financial support being provided to the child.
Such a request may be granted if there is a change in a parent’s financial circumstances or if the child has reached adulthood. It is important to note that a judge is unlikely to alter a child support obligation retroactively. This means that any past due support will likely need to be paid as per the terms of a previous court order. Those who fail to pay child support as ordered could face significant penalties such as jail time or wage garnishment.
Parents who ask for a child support reduction should know that their requests may not necessarily be granted. Generally speaking, an obligation to pay support may change if a child has been emancipated or when the other parent’s financial situation improves. This could occur because the custodial parent got a new job or inherited money from a family member.
There may be many factors that come into play when creating or modifying a child support order. An attorney may help a parent ask a judge for a reduction in monthly support payments. This may be done by pointing out a recent job loss or medical expense. It may also be possible that a child no longer has medical or educational expenses that existed when an order was first created. Therefore, the child’s needs could be met with a lower payment.