Highlands Ranch Child Support Modifications
Steadfast Colorado Lawyers Working for You
Your family’s financial needs may change in the years after your divorce or custody case is resolved. With children involved, chances are there are orders in place regarding child support and child financial issues. Many factors in life can change over time which can affect the monthly child support amount, as well as the legal obligations. If you are facing an adjustment in employment or custody arrangement, you may be able to seek a recalculation of your child support payments. No matter if you are a recipient or payer, if you are seeking modification of child support, the Highlands Ranch child support modification lawyers at Plog & Stein, P.C. can advise you on the right course of action and provide solid representation for your case.
Guidelines for Child Support Modification in Highlands Ranch
In the state of Colorado, C.R.S. 14-10-122 governs child support modifications and utilizes the same statutory formula used to calculate your initial child support payments. Because the formula does not change, any modification of support payments must be due to a “substantial and continuing change in circumstances” since the last order was put into place. The change must also be great enough to impact the monthly amount of child support by at least 10%. While the formula is mathematically straight-forward and generally based largely on income, courts will look at the reasons why the income or employment has changed, which is where the legal battles can arise.
If your request for modification is due to job loss, the timing of your filing is a bit of a balancing act. Of course, you hope that a drop in income due to job loss is only temporary and may not truly be a “continuing change,” but modification orders take time and you may need your child support payments to reflect the adjustment as soon as possible. A few weeks without a job should be sufficient enough for the courts to count this as a continuous change in your life. Again, your lawyer can advise you on the best timing for such a filing. Fortunately, the statute indicates that a motion to modify child support will be assessed retroactively to the filing of a motion. Thus, though your case could potentially take months to be resolved if a settlement is not reached, you should get credit for any changes going back to filing. If child support is modified due to a voluntary change in custody, you may even be able to go back to that point in time, regardless of whether the actual custody orders were changed.
Serving people throughout the Highlands Ranch area, the child support modification lawyers at Plog & Stein have years of experience representing family law clients. With any case, we provide a thorough analysis of the law and facts, coupled with impeccable skills both in and out of the courtroom. We represent clients both seeking to modify child support and those fighting a modification sought by the other side. There are instances in which the opposing party brings a motion to modify which lacks merit, perhaps hoping to shirk their financial responsibilities. Preparation and an understanding of the law, changes to child support statutes, and the court system is key. Let us put our skills to work for the person who matters most, you, the client.
Common circumstances where you might consider seeking a modification of child support in Highlands Ranch include the loss of employment, disability, changes to custody or visitation, a child turning 19, and significant increases to the costs of healthcare, school, or child care. Given the retroactive nature of most motions to modify child support, why wait? At Plog & Stein, we believe it’s better to assert your rights at the time it really matters.
Child Support Modification Attorneys Representing Residents of Highlands Ranch
When it comes to doing what is best for your children and securing their financial well-being, the family law attorneys at Plog & Stein, P.C. are ready to jump in and advise you on the best course of action to take. Come see us at our Denver Tech Center office, just a short drive from Highlands Ranch. We are here for you and will work earnestly for the changes you need in your child support arrangements. Call us at 303-781-0322 or contact us online to set up an appointment for a personal consultation with a Highlands Ranch child support modification attorney about your case.
