Child support is one of several forms of parental responsibility in Michigan. Parents typically have an obligation to spend time with their children and to provide them with adequate support for basic needs. When a parent does not live full-time with their child but instead shares custody, they may be subject to a child support order.
The courts can require that one parent make regular payments to the other. Child support can balance out a significant difference in parental income. It can also help offset an uneven allocation of parenting time.
Typically, those paying child support have to make payments in full and on time. Otherwise, they are at risk of enforcement attempts. In some cases, parents paying or receiving child support may want to modify their existing order. When is a child support modification possible?
When parents reach an agreement
If parents agree amicably that the amount of child support is too high or too low given their circumstances, they can take control of the situation. Parents who cooperate with one another can submit documents to the courts establishing their own terms for child support. It is possible to significantly adjust a child support order through mutual cooperation with the other parent.
When circumstances change
The Friend of the Court (FOC) provides guidance to the family courts when child support is necessary. The FOC determines how much support is appropriate given the income of both parents and the overall breakdown of parental responsibilities.
The FOC in Michigan has a responsibility to review and update its recommendations every three years until the children age out of support. In the interim, circumstances could change substantially.
If either parent sees a noteworthy change in income or if unexpected challenges affect the amount of support needed, possibly because of a child’s medical challenges, then petitioning the courts for a modification might be possible. The FOC can review the circumstances and put together a new recommendation that the courts can then adopt.
Recognizing when it may be time to review and adjust child support can help people better meet the needs of their children. Parents proposing or responding to a child support modification may need help navigating the complicated family law process required to officially change their support order, and that’s okay.