Child Support Adjustments Due To Remarriage
After a marriage ends, it is common for the individuals who were formerly married to move forward with their lives, falling in love with other people and, in some cases, deciding to remarry. A marriage is a union to be celebrated, but there are financial and legal shifts that need to be clearly understood.
If you either receive child support payments or pay child support, you may be wondering how your remarriage will affect your family finances. The answer is likely that it depends on the details of your situation. To have your Pennsylvania family law questions answered, connect with a Bucks County family attorney.
Situations Where Remarriage Will Push Payments Up or Down
Each situation needs to be assessed, in many instances a remarriage will not impact child support payments, but it is possible. For example, if you remarry and have another child, that could impact the payments you make to the custodial parent to support the children from your prior marriage. Essentially, you could file a request for a downward modification. A lower amount could be awarded if supporting all of your children exceeds a certain percentage of the money you bring home.
In other circumstances, your marriage could lead to your personal expenses being lower. This could be true if your new spouse has a high earning job and is now paying half, or more, of your monthly expenses. As a result, you are now in a much better financial position. If this is true, the court could review your expenses and determine that a child support payment modification will be necessary.
But it is important to note that the marriage itself, and your new spouse income, doesn’t automatically shift payments. After all, the person you are marrying does not have the legal obligation to provide for the children you had with your ex-spouse. The information the court will assess is how your new situation impacts your own ability to provide for your kids.
Child Support Differs from State to State
Pennsylvania guidelines and laws are not the same in every other state. Remarriage could impact your situation in another way if your prior divorce was finalized in another area of the country. Any questions you have about your remarriage will impact your financial obligations can be answered by a Bucks County family attorney.
A skilled lawyer can also help you if you are the custodial parent and you believe your ex-spouse should be paying a higher amount of child support due to a change in their life. It is common for finances to change, a modification may be needed.
Do you want to remarry but want to be sure you are understanding how this will impact your family finances, including child support? A skilled lawyer has the experience to secure the future you are seeking. The family law attorneys at Kevin L. Hand, P.C. help. Our dedicated legal team understands the finer points of family law. There are opportunities to create the life you want. Schedule your consultation today, call 215-968-6602.