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If I Lost My Job, Can I Stop Paying Child Support?

Child support is incredibly important to the well-being of a child. Both parents have a responsibility to help care for their child financially. But, sometimes this becomes difficult. When someone loses their job, they often wonder about how it will impact their child support payments. Read on to learn more about child support modifications due to loss of employment in New Jersey.

How is Child Support Determined?

Because child support is so important, the court will examine a multitude of factors in order to make a decision that will best suit the needs of the child. Some of these factors include:

  • The child custody arrangement
  • The needs of the child
  • Need and aptitude of the child for education, including higher education
  • The standard of living of each parent
  • Each parent’s economic situation
  • Assets and liabilities of each parent
  • Earning ability of each parent
  • Age and health of each parent
  • Age and health of the child

Can I Modify My Child Support Agreement?

Because child support has been carefully calculated and is designed to help the child, it is not easy to make changes to the arrangement. That being said, there are certain circumstances that would allow you to modify your child support payments. The following are examples of changes that may lead to modifications:

  • One parent has lost their home
  • One parent has contracted a serious illness or sustained a serious injury
  • Their child has sustained a serious injury or contracted a medical condition
  • One parent recently took a significant pay cut or lost their job
  • There has been a change in federal income tax laws
  • One parent is now living with another person/has remarried
  • One parent has received a job promotion or has come into a large sum of money, via an inheritance or otherwise

How Do I Modify My Child Support Agreement?

If you have lost your job, you should contact a family law attorney. But, it is important to note that there are circumstances under which you cannot alter your arrangement. For example, if you are unemployed because you quit your job, or you were fired for gross negligence or criminal misbehavior, you may not be able to modify your payments.

If you have recently lost your job, contact our firm to speak with a skilled family law attorney.

Contact our experienced Ocean City firm

Matters of divorce and family law require the attention and skill of an experienced attorney who will fight for your future. Not only is your financial well-being at stake, but in a divorce, both you and your children’s emotional well-being are at risk as well. If you need a divorce and family law attorney in Ocean County, New Jersey, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Sarina Gianna, LLC today to schedule a consultation.