Can You Modify Your Child Support If Your Ex Remarries?
Just because your divorce is final does not mean you will never need assistance and advice from a divorce lawyer. There may be many times when you will have questions or will need help with some type of issue relating to your divorce. One of these times might be if your ex-spouse gets married. If this happens, you may want to know if this gives you the right to modify the child support amount you are currently paying.
Does remarriage change child support?
In general, getting remarried will not affect child support, and this is true in both types of situations. The first thing to realize is that it will not allow you to pay less money because your ex now has a new spouse. The second thing to know is that if you get remarried, your ex will not have the right to ask you for more child support.
This is how most states handle this issue; however, there are times when child support can be modified from remarriage. An example of this is if your ex-spouse married someone that was extremely wealthy. In this situation, and depending on your state, the court may agree to allow you to pay a lower amount for child support.
Why is this issue handled this way?
When two people have a child together, it is their responsibility to raise the child. In other words, both parents have an obligation to financially and emotionally support this child. When other people come into this child's life, they are free to offer support to the child, but they are not obligated by law to do this.
When a remarriage occurs, the child will have a new step parent. This step parent might provide money into the family budget each month, but this step parent will never have the obligation to financially support this child. This is why child support is not affected by a remarriage of either parent.
When can you modify child support?
While remarriage is not a reason to ask for a modification of child support, there are several common reasons parents can ask for this. One common example of this is if one of the parents gets a different job. If you lose your job and have to take a new one that pays significantly less, you may want to ask for a modification of your child support.
If you are not sure whether you should ask for a modification with your child support, contact a divorce lawyer such as Fleishman Law Office SC. He or she can help you determine what to do in your situation.