A Compassionate Advocate
For Arizona Families

Can I lower my child support payments

On Behalf of | Jul 28, 2021 | Child Support

Life circumstances change, sometimes so dramatically that you cannot make heads or tails of it. Such may be the case with your financial situation. Has the change affected your income so much that you cannot afford your current child support payments?

In Arizona, you can request a Child Support Modification depending on the factors behind your change in finances.

The modification

The courts used your income at the time of your divorce to calculate your child support payments. It also included other costs related to taking care of your child. What issues changed for you?

For instance, you can request a change in modification based on:

  • Decreased or increased income
  • Change in parenting time
  • The cost of health insurance went up or down
  • Your child no longer requires daycare
  • Your child reaches 18 or graduates high school

Standard versus simplified modification procedure

Arizona family law statute states that you can apply for a modification under either the standard or simplified procedure.

If you use the standard procedure, you must prove you have had a substantial and continuing change of circumstances since the filing of the original child support order. With the simplified method, if you show a 15% variation from the current payment, the court considers this a substantial and continuing change of circumstances.

When submitting your request, make sure you have the information to back up the reason for your change, such as pay stubs or health insurance statements. Through no fault of your own, finances may change. Know that you have options to help keep you and your child financially stable.