Why Would I Need to Modify my Divorce Order?
A divorce settlement is comprised of one or more court orders. These are the orders that state how the couple’s marital property is divided, their parenting plan, their child support amount, and their alimony arrangement. As the years pass after a couple’s divorce, it is not uncommon for their needs and circumstances to change. As these factors change, the couple may choose to modify their divorce orders. A divorce order may be modified by petitioning to the court that created the original order with documentation stating why the requested modification is necessary.
Generally, property division orders cannot be modified after they are created. If your former spouse is not compliant with your property division order, your lawyer can help you work with the court to enforce the order. Usually, a property division order can only be modified if the court finds it was made in egregious error, such as if one spouse hid a substantial amount of assets during the division process to skew how the court divided the marital estate.
Your Children’s Needs Changed
One of the most common reasons for a parent to modify an existing parenting plan and/or child support order is that the child’s needs have changed. The parent might request a larger amount of child support to help cover costs associated with a child’s newly developed special needs or he or she might have to change the child’s parenting plan to accommodate the child’s new school schedule.
Your Financial Circumstances Changed Significantly
Life has its ups and downs and often, these ups and downs are financial in nature. Losing a job, becoming disabled, suffering an illness, getting a new job, and winning the lottery are all financial changes that can substantially impact the appropriateness of your existing divorce orders and necessitate a change.
Your Lifestyle has Changed
A parenting plan might have to change not because of changes in the child’s lifestyle, but changes in the parent’s. A parent might need to alter an existing parenting plan to make it possible for him or her to move out of state to pursue new career opportunities or change the parenting plan to make it possible for him or her to spend time with the child and commit to a new work schedule.
You can also seek a divorce order modification because of changes in your former partner’s lifestyle, rather than your own. One type of change is eliminating your alimony payments because your former spouse remarried or began cohabitating with a new partner. Another is seeking a change to your parenting plan because you feel your former spouse’s new religion or hobby puts your children’s safety or health at risk.
Work with an Experienced Orlando Divorce Lawyer
When you need to modify one or more of your existing divorce orders, you need to work with an experienced Orlando divorce lawyer. Get started with the Law Offices of Steve W. Marsee, P.A. today by contacting us to set up your initial legal consultation.
Resource:
floridarevenue.com/childsupport/child_support_amounts/Pages/child_support_amounts.aspx
