Motion to Modify Child Support in Missouri: What You Need to Know
A motion to modify child support in Missouri is a form used to revise the original parenting plan ordered by the court as your family’s circumstances change. Learn more here.
Understanding Motion to Modify Child Support in MO
A motion to modify child support is a request to change the terms of an existing child support order. The person seeking the modification can request the order to be increased, decreased, or terminated altogether. To have the motion granted, the person seeking the modification must show that there has been a substantial change in their circumstances since the original order was issued.
If you need to file a case for child custody modifications, or a motion to modify your child support with your ex-spouse, you should obtain legal advice from an experienced family law attorney. Many factors can affect the elements that a court would consider when modifying child support orders. For example, the court would consider the original child custody order and the financial status of the other parent, and how much you would need to pay for child support based on your region, county, or state. Contact an attorney from The Carson Law Firm for professional legal services to get the best advice.
A family law office can offer guidance for child custody and support for substantial and continuing help properly caring for your children either in a primary role or in a joint parenting situation after a divorce.
Modifying Your Child Support After a Substantial Change
The attorneys at The Carson Law Firm realize time changes things. The parental decisions made were appropriate for your life and family at the time, and now they may need to be altered.
Regardless of which side you are on. In the case, The Carson Law Firm has the experience to represent you through child custody modifications. If you seek to modify a divorce settlement, you can call on us to prepare and present your case for modification.
If your former spouse is filing for modification, turn to The Carson Law Firm to protect your livelihood and preserve the original judgment. We offer high-quality representation because we are on your side when you need child custody order modification.
Motion to Modify Child Support Missouri Form
When you file a motion to modify the child support form in St Louis, you can probably think back 5, 10, or 20 years and identify the changes in your life that have affected the values and principles you held. This principle of change is also relevant in a divorce settlement and child custody. It is addressed with a legal process known as a modification.
Sometimes, families outgrow the arrangements initially made at the time of divorce. Perhaps child support also served the purpose of alimony, but the children are now grown. Maybe the home environment you agreed to allow your young child to be raised in has changed, and you’re concerned about their safety. Perhaps you had to relocate the family or decide to pay for their schooling.
Perhaps you’ve had a career change, and the previously established hours of custody and visitation no longer work with your schedule. Although you could work through these changes amicably between yourselves in a perfect world, strong feelings sometimes remain, making it complicated. Usually, legal advocacy and the courts are called in to modify the original child support agreement.
Retaining the Services of a Professional Law Firm When You Want to Modify Child Support
When dealing with child support modification in the Missouri courts due to a substantial change in financial needs, you may need to renegotiate whether you are paying child support payments or wanting additional parenting time. A local family law attorney can advise you when you have a change in circumstances.
How Do I Modify a Child Support Order in Missouri?
When you need to know how to file a motion to modify your Missouri child support order for any of a variety of family or income-related factors, you require a local law firm to provide the experience and skill you need in court.
Substantial and continuing child support can be modified due to a change in circumstances, including the following examples:
-
Child’s age
-
Child’s health and physical abilities
-
Custody changes
-
Parent’s income
-
Parenting time and visitation changes
-
School costs
Many Missouri child support regulations require evidence regarding whether there is a financial hardship upon either parent and the number of children involved. However, even without employment, there are still chances that a parent still has income in the form of social security benefits or unemployment compensation. The income for child support may also include alimony received from a previous marriage, veteran’s benefits, and profit or capital gains on investment.
When taking your case to court, the burden of proof is the responsibility of the person who files the motion. A judge will consider all factors when deciding how to modify custody. Seek a reputable lawyer for assistance proving your case for a favorable outcome.
When You Need to Modify Child Support Missouri
To modify a child support order in Missouri, you should contact an attorney in St. Louis who is familiar with the state’s family law matters. If you want to get the child support increased or reduced, the non-custodial parent is obligated to help pay for the child’s upkeep.
Often divorced parents hesitate to modify child custody orders in St. Louis and elsewhere in Missouri. Unfortunately, as prices fluctuate with the economy and the needs of the children change, it may become necessary to request changes to the parental plans. The Missouri courts strive to protect a child’s and parent’s rights in a child custody case.
Clients should hire a reputable attorney knowledgeable of family law matters to help negotiate a new child custody agreement before presenting their case to the judge.
Filing a Motion for Child Support Modification
When there is a motion for a child support modification, the court may consider the request unreasonable based on the original agreement and the resources available for the maintenance of that child support. In addition, the judge will consider the financial needs and health of the child and the income of each ex-spouse.
Missouri attorneys will assess the parent’s income and the needs of the children to develop a successful parenting plan to modify child support under Missouri law.
At What Age Can a Child Refuse Visitation in Missouri?
The age of a child at which they can refuse visitation with the non-custodial parent is 18 in Missouri. The child must express to the court why they want to stop visitation and how it is negatively affecting their lives. The court will also consider the child’s best interests when making a final decision.
The judge presiding over the case will also want to ensure that the child is not being coerced into making this decision. If the child is younger than 18, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the child’s best interests in the case.
How Do You Win a Custody Modification Case?
To win a custody modification case in Missouri, you must be able to prove that there has been a substantial change in circumstances since the last order was issued. The change must be significant enough to affect the best interests of the child.
Some examples of changes that could warrant a custody modification include the following:
-
A parent receiving a new job in a different state
-
The child’s school has changed, and the current custody arrangement is no longer working
-
One parent has been diagnosed with a severe illness
-
The child has started exhibiting behavioral problems
-
There has been a significant change in the parent’s income or assets
If you can prove that there has been a change in your child’s best interests, you may be able to negotiate a new custody agreement with your ex-spouse. If an agreement cannot be reached, you will need to go to court to modify the original custody order.
It is important to remember that the burden of proof lies with the person who files the motion and that attorney fees can be expensive. You should contact an attorney in Missouri for an attorney-client relationship to discuss your specific case.
Seek a Professional Law Firm When Modifying Your Parental Arrangements
Parents want to do what is suitable for their children, which means financially supporting them. As children age, their needs change and support arrangements should be modified. Plus, as time passes, expenses increase. It becomes more expensive to raise one’s child.
As you search for a reputable law firm to represent your family law case when you want a modification of child support, you want the best representation when you go before the judge in Missouri. At The Carson Law Firm, you will find precisely that.
If you are interested in becoming a client of our law firm and receiving quality representation as you navigate the child custody modification process in Missouri, contact us by phone or through our site to request a consultation. We look forward to assisting you!