Bellevue Child Support Modification Lawyer

A Bellevue child support modification lawyer at Twyford Law Office could help you legally alter your existing child support agreement to better reflect your current circumstances.

When a couple with children decides to get divorced, they likely have to learn to co-parent together because both parents usually want to continue to be a strong presence in their child’s life. Even if a parent does not have physical custody of their child, they will still need to contribute to their child’s life financially by paying child support to the custodial parent. If circumstances change in either parent’s life, they might seek to modify the child support agreement.

Standard to Make a Legal Modification to a Child Support Agreement

People who are frustrated with their former partner and want to cause them trouble cannot get back at them by pursuing a modification to their existing child support agreement. Parties cannot file a motion to modify their existing order just because they want to settle a score with their ex or simply because they want to change things. Washington state law requires a petitioner to meet a minimum standard before seeking a legal modification or adjustment of their child support agreement.

If the initial child support order has only been in effect for under a year, the party seeking a change would need to show that there has been a substantial change in someone’s circumstances. If the agreement or any modifications have existed for over two years, a petitioner can seek to adjust the initial support agreement. The petitioner would still need to demonstrate a need for a change, such as an increase or decrease in one of the parent’s salaries.

A seasoned Bellevue attorney could examine the facts from a particular family to see if a modification or adjustment of child support payments may be legally appropriate.

Circumstances that Might Merit a Change in a Child Support Order

Sometimes, the initial child support agreement is not appropriate because it no longer reflects a family’s current circumstances.

The following are examples of scenarios where a child support modification agreement might be appropriate:

• The non-custodial parent loses their job and can no longer meet the existing child support obligations
• A custodial parent experiences a medical crisis and can no longer physically care for a child without a babysitter or caregiver
• The non-custodial parent is unable to work due to their medical condition or incurs a large debt due to costly medical bills
• The non-custodial parent has accepted a new job that pays substantially more money, or they have received a pay raise that gives them significantly more money than they had when the court issued the initial support agreement
• A child wishes to go to college and the parties did not agree on who should pay and how to divide tuition payments during their initial child support agreement

A dedicated child support modification lawyer in Bellevue would give the case the attention it deserves by focusing on getting the results their client needs.

Work With a Bellevue Child Support Modification Attorney

The child support order that you thought was perfect at one time might no longer suit your family’s needs as your children grow older and other circumstances change. Our team of legal professionals at Twyford Law Office has successfully helped petitioners obtain the modification agreements they need to fit their changed circumstances. They also know how to help people fight baseless claims for modifications.

Work with an experienced Bellevue child support modification lawyer who knows how to guide you through the legal process. Call for a free consultation.