Does Child Support Increase If My Salary Increases in Suwanee?

Any time that parents get a divorce, they must make sure that their child’s financial needs will be properly accounted for and detailed in a child support order before the court finalizes the divorce. Child support orders are based on each parent’s financial circumstances and their child’s financial needs during the divorce. But people’s lives and circumstances can change in an instant, and in most cases, these require a modification of the parents’ existing child support order.

For example, if your salary increases, the custodial or dependent parent may ask the court to increase the support payments. This means that – yes – your child support payments can increase if your salary also increases. However, this doesn’t happen automatically.

The parent seeking a child support modification (in this case, increasing the payments because of the supporting parent’s increase in income) must ask the court for a modification of the support order. The court must then decide whether or not the modification is warranted.

When Can Child Support Be Increased?

Various situations may warrant a modification for child support payments, with the most common one being an increase in the paying parent’s salary. While courts do not refer to a predetermined set of situations when determining child support modification orders, prior case law provides some guidelines on which situations may qualify for a modification, such as the following:

• An increase in the salary or income of the paying parent
• A dependent parent losing their home.
• A decrease in the dependent parent’s income
• A dependent parent losing their job or financial assistance from the state.
• The child or dependent parent suffering a serious illness or injury and needs more money for the unexpected medical costs.

Regardless of the situation, however, a common standard that courts use when deciding whether to approve a modification request is that there must be a continuing and significant change in the circumstances of the parent requesting the modification.

Consult with a Suwanee Child Support Modification Attorney Now

Whether you are facing or seeking a modification for child support, our Suwanee child support modification attorney can make certain that your best interests, legal rights, and financial situation are taken into account. Reach out to the law office of Banks, Stubbs & McFarland today and set up your consultation with our Suwanee child support modification attorney by reaching us online or calling 770-945-2320.