You have no problem with the idea of paying child support. You know that the money helps your child with necessary expenses. As a parent, that’s important to you and you are glad to make those payments.
However, you recently lost your job. The payments were affordable when you had a solid income, but now you have no income at all or it has been massively reduced. Does this mean that you can stop making those child support payments?
The court order still stands
What you need to remember is that a child support order is issued by the court and is legally binding. If it says you are supposed to pay a certain amount every month, you do have to make those payments. You would be in violation of the court order if you didn’t. Even if you can’t afford the full payments, it’s often wise to make partial payments to show that you are making an effort.
That said, you are not necessarily bound to those child support payments until your child turns 18. Your financial situation has changed, and the court can address that. But you need to ask them to modify the support order, lowering your obligation. Don’t just quit making the payments now that you are no longer employed.
A complex legal reality
The future can be a bit more complicated after a divorce, and this is just one example of how that may happen. Be sure you understand all of your legal options and how to navigate this process, avoiding mistakes that could put your custody rights in jeopardy.