Your child support order helps ensure that you and your ex-spouse can uphold your financial responsibilities for your children after your divorce. By fulfilling your support obligations, your children can have access to their basic needs and grow in a stable environment.
What is an income withholding order?
Income withholding is a court order that directs the “obligator” or paying parent’s employer to deduct support payments from their paychecks. For instance, if you are the noncustodial parent, you will most likely be the obligator.
This system helps track your payments and provides a consistent stream of financial support for your children.
What is medical support?
If your child support case has a medical support order, it can provide financial assistance for your children’s private health insurance, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and cash medical support.
What are arrears?
Arrears are unpaid child support owed by the paying parent. When you or your ex-spouse gets behind on your support obligations or stops paying it entirely, the unpaid amounts add up and become arrears.
When can I update my child support costs?
If you or your children are going through a substantial and material change in circumstances, you can file a petition for modification with the court that made your original support order. These qualifying changes may include:
- Significant increase or decrease in your income
- Involuntary job loss
- Changes in your family’s size
- Changes to your custody arrangement
- Changes in your children’s healthcare or educational costs
Aside from the petition form, you will also need to submit documentation that can support your reason. While it is not mandatory to hire a lawyer for this process, they can help provide legal guidance for your concerns and advise you on what documentation can strengthen your case.
By learning the answers to the basic questions about child support in Pennsylvania, you can become more familiar with the process and put your financial worries to rest.
