Once a divorcing couple has ironed out all the details of their child support plan, the last thing either spouse wants to do is revisit the process. However, life likes to turn up the heat occasionally by making such dreaded tasks necessary. The anxiety that seems to go hand-in-hand with making child support modifications happens for several reasons such as:
— Fear of another battle with the ex– Fear of disturbing a hard-won agreement with the ex– Fear of introducing a new set of complications to the family dynamic– Fear of inadvertently antagonizing an ex spouse
Both parents can feel this kind of anxiety regardless of which one has initiated the modifications. Here are a few tips to help divorced Texas parents sail as smoothly as possible through the process of modifying child support.
— Revisit and study the Texas child support laws– Initiate negotiations quickly to minimize problems– Attempt to reach an agreement with your co-parent– If change is needed due to reduced income, keep paying support as best you can– Fully document the reasons child support modification is needed– File documents with the court that handled the initial child support agreement
Having a clear idea of what each parent needs to do when seeking modifications can take some of the anxiety out of the process. If you and your ex cannot reach an agreement that meets everyone’s needs, consider turning to an attorney to help expedite the matter and restore peace to both the children and the parents. As always, the law in Texas wants to help both parents provide well-being to their shared children.