Family Law / Child Support / Modification of Child Support
Sometimes life changes require changes to be made to current orders, such as child support. However, oftentimes parents try to make verbal agreements with regard to child support. The problem with verbal agreements is they are not enforceable and not ordered by the Court. As situations change, so can the ability to agree on issues. Having a verbal agreement in effect, absent a court-ordered modification could cause you to be subject to a finding of contempt.
If warranted, a deviation can be made to child support orders. The Ohio Revised Code delineates when a deviation on child support can be made. Some of the reasons for a deviation include (but are not limited to): extraordinary obligations for the children, special and unusual needs of the children, other court-ordered payments, extended parenting time or extraordinary costs associated with parenting time, disparity in income between the parties or households, benefits that either party receives from remarriage or sharing expenses with another person, the obligor obtaining additional employment after a support order is issued in order to support a second family, the amount of actual federal, state and local taxes paid by a parent, significant in-kind contributions from a parent; the relative financial resources of each parent; the standard of living that each parent and the child would have continued to enjoy if the marriage had continued, the physical and emotional needs of the child, the responsibility of the parent for the support of others.