How Do I Get Child Support Increased?

Written by Anthony Piccirilli

Pennsylvania law allows for modification of child support under certain conditions. Because any modification, increase or decrease, substantially impacts all parties involved, family courts take requests very seriously. When you need an increase in child support, you’ll want experienced family attorney Anthony Piccirilli by your side. As a skilled child support lawyer at Pittsburgh Divorce & Family Law, LLC, he understands the law and how to get the increase you need to take care of your children.

For a consultation about your need for increased child support, call Pittsburgh Divorce & Family Law, LLC, today at (412) 471-5100 or use the convenient online form.

Child Support Modification Requires Changed Circumstances

State law requires that both parents support their child until the age of 18 – or longer under some circumstances. When parents are not living together and providing for the child, a child support order will often be granted that outlines the amount of support that must be paid monthly. That amount is called the initial award.

For some families, the initial child support award never changes. To set that amount, the court considers several factors, including:

• Parental incomes
• Custody specifics (shared parenting or visitation)
• Parental assets and fixed expenses/obligations
• Ages of children
• Any special needs of children
• Other relevant factors as provided

When you seek an increase, you’ll need to provide the court with evidence that something has changed about one or more of those factors that were initially analyzed. Attorney Piccirilli can help you articulate and prove what those changes are so that your request has a better chance of being granted.

Common grounds for an upward change in child support in Pennsylvania might include:

• Parental income has changed. This factor can be either the party receiving child support is making substantially less or the party paying support is making more than when the initial award was granted.
• Changes in custodial time. If the parent paying support is not spending as much time with the child requiring the other parent to spend more because the child is with them, then an increase may be warranted.
• Different needs of the child. Circumstances may have arisen that require extra money for education, medical, transportation, extracurricular reasons.

Re-opening a child support matter is a serious step. It isn’t unheard of for a parent to petition for an increase in support and, upon presentation of evidence by the parties, end up with a decrease being granted. That’s why it is important to work with an experienced family lawyer if you need an increase in child support.

Need a Child Support Increase? We Can Help.

Having to deal with the courts to get an increase in child support can be stressful. But your child deserves the right amount of support. Failing to modify an award could be very costly in the long run. By working with Attorney Piccirilli, you can be sure that your request for an increase in support meets all the legal requirements and is backed by persuasive evidence of changed circumstances. He has successfully handled many similar cases. You can trust Pittsburgh Divorce & Family Law, LLC to fight hard for the child support increase you need to care for your child.

Call (412) 471-5100 today or use the online form for a consultation about your case.