My son is 15 years old, and he recently began working a part time job after school and on weekends. Since his mother and step father both work as well, their household income has increased. Does this mean that I can request my child support payments be reduced or dropped? 

Your son’s income cannot dictate whether your child support payments should be reduced or dropped, so this fact alone is not reason enough to petition the court for a decrease in your child support obligation.  Child support is based on your income, the mother’s income, as well as the number of overnights each of you have with the child.  Cost of medical insurance for the minor child is also a factor.

However, if you feel that you’re paying too much money based on your income and the mother’s income, then you could ask an attorney to review the details of your child support order to determine if you’re paying the correct amount. If the attorney can show that the mother’s income has increased significantly since child support was last established, it is possible the court will modify your obligation.  At that point, we would need to file a motion to decrease child support with the court.

When attempting to request a change in child support payments, it is important to enlist the services of a skilled family law attorney who has experience successfully helping fathers who have been in situations similar to yours. Changes to child custody agreements or child support payment obligations can only be made by the court, so you should never attempt to work out the situation without capable representation.  We can meet with you and calculate child support payments before you ever file anything with the court.

About ADAM (American Divorce Association for Men)

The American Divorce Association for Men (ADAM) is a group of highly qualified attorneys who advocate for men’s rights in divorce, child custody and parenting time, paternity, support, property settlement, post judgment modifications, and other family law matters. Since 1988, ADAM has been aggressive, diligent, and uncompromising when representing their clients. A team of compassionate and skilled family law attorneys, ADAM is dedicated to being Michigan’s leading divorce attorneys for men.