When two parents are no longer living together but have a kid to care for, the courts may institute a child support order. This requires you to pay a determined amount of money every month to provide for the little one. However, if your financial circumstances change—for example, losing your job—you may struggle to meet this financial obligation. Below is more information about what happens and how to handle this situation.

What Are the Consequences of Late Payments?

In Kentucky, the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) office manages various support issues—including enforcement measures for missed payments. This is a department of the Income Support Department of the state's Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

This office can force parents to pay using various tools, such as filing liens against personal property, garnishing wages, and intercepting tax returns. They can even seize part of your unemployment benefits and file contempt of court charges if missed payments continue for long periods.

How Can You Change the Order?

Child support orders depend on each parent's income. If you lose your job and your financial situation changes, you can request a change in the amount of child support you must pay. However, this requires petitioning the court and showing proof of your change in financial status.

The CSE office is also responsible for reviewing existing orders to see if a modification is necessary. You should file for a change in the child support amount before missing any payments to ensure that CSE doesn't resort to enforcement measures.

First, contact a family law professional for assistance. They can help you file the necessary paperwork and collect the required evidence. The sooner you act, the better, as CSE may proceed to enforce the order. However, you can only modify future payments, and you cannot eliminate or decrease past due amounts. This is another reason to act quickly instead of waiting for a delinquency notice.

If you are facing legal problems related to child support, trust McMahan Law Firm, PLLC, of Elizabethtown, KY, to help. Attorney Teresa McMahan has 10 years of experience in family law matters and treats her clients with compassion, while aggressively representing their interests. She also practices personal injury and real estate law. Visit her website for more information about her services. To make an appointment for a free consultation, call (270) 986-7908.