Like many women in Milwaukee, you thought you had found the perfect spouse. As you and your husband raised children and pursued different careers, however, you grew apart. Following your divorce, you focus much of your attention on the wellbeing of your kids.
To provide care for your children, you rely on child support. While payments may have been enough during the first few years after your divorce, they may now seem grossly inadequate. Here are four signs it may be time to seek a modification of your child support order.
1. You cannot meet your child’s basic needs
The clearest indicator you are not receiving sufficient child support is also the most heartbreaking. If you simply cannot meet your child’s basic needs, you may need to rethink your child support order. While your former spouse may not have the financial means to pay you more, asking a judge to reopen the matter may help you access additional funds.
2. Your child’s other parent is making significantly more
To determine whether to increase child support, Wisconsin judges usually look for a change in circumstances. If your child’s other parent is making more than he was at the time you negotiated child support, you may be able to successfully request higher payments.
3. You are making significantly less
If you did not voluntarily reduce your own income, you may have a valid claim for an increase in child support. While preparing for hard times is part of parenting, a loss of income may change the circumstances of your child support order enough for a judge to order your former spouse to pay more.
4. Other circumstances have changed
Determining which parent must pay child support requires considering several factors. While the earning potential of you and your spouse certainly matters, there may be other things in your life that affect the calculation. As such, if you are experiencing major life changes, you may be in a good position to request a modification of your child support order.
All children deserve the opportunity to grow up in a happy and healthy environment. If you think your current child support order is not good for your child’s overall well-being, you may want to ask a judge to require your former spouse to increase support payments.