Unemployed or Change in Income Due to COVID-19?
Unemployment can affect your child support and spousal support obligations, but only if you take appropriate and timely action. If you have lost your job or had a significant reduction in income, your child support or spousal support obligation can be diminished but only if a motion to decrease your child support or spousal support obligation is filed in a timely matter.
It’s Important to File a Motion to Decrease Support Immediately
Any change in child support or spousal support can only be done from the date of filing a motion to decrease child support or spousal support forward, for example if you lost your job on March 25 and we did not file a motion on your behalf until June 1st, your child support or spousal obligation can only be diminished retroactive to June 1st, regardless of when the motion to have your child support or spousal support decreased is heard after that date by the court. If on the other hand, the motion is filed on April 15 are you can have your child support or spousal support obligation decreased backdated to that date regardless of when the motion is heard by the court.
We Are Here to Represent You During the COVID-19 / Coronavirus Pandemic
Our office works with clients in the Tri-County area on child support and spousal support matters, including decreases in child support or spousal support based on unemployment or downsizing. However it is important that you take immediate action to have us file a motion on your behalf to decrease child support or spousal support. The longer you wait to file this motion the more arrears will accrue during that time, so that when you begin working again, you will have a significant arrearage and any pay that you do receive will be garnished to pay this additional amount.
You may think that it costs a significant amount of money to have this motion filed on your behalf, however while there are costs, involved, we work with clients to diminish those costs as much as possible and have flexible payment schedules for such work. You cannot wait to file such a motion without putting yourself at risk for accumulating arrearages, which will be difficult to pay off over a long period of time.
During these difficult times you can contact our office by calling the office number (248) 626-3000 or my cell phone number (248) 318-1680 or contacting us by email at mgordon@merrillgordon.com. We are here 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you as we work remotely in your best interest.
Even at this time, when the courts are having limited schedules and availability, this does not impact the ability of our office to file such a motion on your behalf and seek a reduction in child support for you.
For these and all types of legal matters, we offer a free initial consultation, flexible payment options, credit card availability and personal attention and service. We look forward to working with you to resolve not only your child support problem but any family Court matter, including divorce, child support, child custody, parenting time and alimony payments.
