Child Support Modification in Fayetteville North Carolina

Fayetteville NC Child Support Lawyers – Family Law Attorneys

Child support is a matter that divorcing couples with children are going to have to discuss, and in many cases they can come to a mutually acceptable agreement on their own using the state guidelines as their starting point. The state of North Carolina utilizes the income shares model for calculating child support responsibility, and the model essentially states that both parents have an equal financial responsibility to their child or children. It also asserts that the same percentage of the total income of both parents that would be devoted to the children’s needs if the couple was still married be allocated for them after they are divorced. North Carolina uses uniform presumptive guidelines to determine the amount of child support that is appropriate.

When those guidelines are first applied, the couple is going to be at a particular earning level and the amount of child support will of course be calculated using those current figures. But, as time goes on, the financial situation of each respective parent is invariably going to change, and the needs of the children may increase as well as they get older. These changes can result in the need for child support modification, but they need to be deemed “significant” in the eyes of the law. In the state of North Carolina, the change in income, when applied to the uniform guidelines, needs to result in a change to the amount currently being paid of at least 15% to warrant a modification motion.

Usually people wind up making more money over the years and the child support modification results in an increase in the amount that must be paid monthly. But it can swing the other way if the custodial parent’s earnings increase while the other parent’s income remains stagnant or when the non-custodial parent experiences a reduction in income. Child support is an ongoing issue, and it is always important to remember that it is not a payment to the custodial parent for their own use. It is a fair and equitable financial contribution to ensure the well being of the child or children, and every parent should recognize his or her responsibility to help provide for their children.

If you have questions about child support modification, simply contact an experienced Fayetteville NC family attorney and arrange for a free consultation.