Child Support
Raising children is expensive. Child support laws and guidelines exist so that single parents can properly provide for their children. Food and clothing are just the tip of the iceberg as far as costs go. We will work hard to make certain that you are paying or receiving the child support necessary to maintain the appropriate lifestyle for your child.
Are you getting enough in child support? How much should you be paying? Do you think you are paying too much? Have circumstances changed? What exactly are you required to pay? At William Jackson, we deal with these questions on a daily basis. Although child support is ultimately determined using a mathematical formula, inputting the correct information to the formula is crucial and complicated. In order to ensure your child support situation is both correct and fair, you need the experience of the attorneys at William Jackson. To start discussing your child support obligation or rights, call our offices at 248-662-5499 and schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
Modifying Child Support
Child support is not indefinite. As things change, so should your child support obligation. Children grow up, custody changes and new relationships are commenced. When these changes occur, you and your attorney need to file an action to have the Child Support Order modified by the court. Too often, parents paying support just assume that because their income has changed, the Friend of the Court will modify their support obligation. This is not the case. You must take the affirmative step in notifying the court as soon as your circumstances change or you risk being on the hook for a support obligation that you cannot pay.
It is also important to understand that you cannot keep returning to the court every couple months to modify your support obligation. Common examples of when child support can be brought before a court for modification include.
The party paying child support has at least 128 overnight visits per year.
In this situation, the court will typically order a more evenly based child support arrangement.
Three years have passed since a child support order or modification has been entered.
According to Michigan law, anyone ordered to pay child support or who is receiving child support has the statutory right to have the support order reviewed every three years. This is an administrative process initiated by the courts, during which the original factors will be reexamined and recalculated in accordance to the most up-to-date version of the Michigan Child Support Formula Manual.
A change of circumstances has occurred.
One common change in circumstance is when the child turns 18. However, if the child has not yet finished high school, child support will continue until they are 19 ½. Child support may include college education if so noted in the original agreement – otherwise it is not a requirement.
