Many people here in Kentucky are out of work right now. If you are one of them, and your child support order was entered before things changed, then you may have the opportunity to modify the amount you pay, even if it is only temporary. It would be best to request a child support modification as soon as possible in order to avoid any negative ramifications from not being able to make full payments right now.
Like other Kentucky parents going through the same circumstances, you want to meet your all your obligations regarding your children, including the financial ones. Under ordinary circumstances, you would do so without question, but with things not being ordinary at this time, you may have trouble meeting your financial obligations. Even if the other parent understands your situation, and may be going through it as well, you’ll still need court approval for any arrangements the two of you make that deviate from the existing child support order.
Perhaps your former spouse is the one who is not working right now, or your child or children now have medical needs that require more financial assistance from you. The other parent may request more money in order to provide for the children. As would be the case if you could not pay and the other parent agreed to a lesser amount, if you agree to pay more, even temporarily, you will want that agreement in writing in order to avoid any future disputes.
The most important factor to remember is that if you are unable to meet your payments right now, you need to take action as quickly as you can, especially if the other parent is not willing to work with you. You will need to provide the appropriate evidence to the court if you need to request a child support modification, and it may be a challenge to know what that would include. Working with a family law attorney can help ensure that you will achieve the best resolution possible to what may feel like an impossible situation.