Altamonte Springs Modification of Final Orders Attorney
Divorce Attorney in Altamonte Springs Assisting with Modifications
Once your divorce case is finalized, you likely want to avoid needing to go back to court in order to ask the judge to modify final orders, including a modification of alimony, child support, or child custody. Yet situations often arise that require a modification. If you want to modify an existing divorce order, you should speak with an experienced Altamonte Springs modifications attorney who can evaluate your case and can help you to understand whether you may be eligible for a modification.
Reasons for Seeking a Modification of an Altamonte Springs Divorce Order
There are many different reasons that a party might seek to modify an existing divorce order, including final orders pertaining to support or time-sharing in child custody. The following are just some of the types of cases in which we assist Central Florida residents with modifications:
- Party experiences the loss of a job and a need to modify alimony or child support;
- A parent receives a substantial raise, and the other parent wants to modify the child support obligation accordingly;
- A parent receives a job offer outside the state of Florida and needs to modify the existing parenting plan and time-sharing schedule; or
- Party suffers an illness or disabling injury that results in loss of income and inability to provide child care, which may require a modification of support and child custody.
Need to Show a Substantial Change in Circumstances in Altamonte Springs
Generally speaking, under Florida law, if you want to modify an existing order, you will typically need to prove that a substantial change in circumstances has occurred. The statute does not provide examples of a substantial change in circumstances in most circumstances, but an experienced family lawyer in Altamonte Springs can evaluate your situation and can help you to determine whether you could be eligible for a modification.
Examples of a substantial change in circumstances could include but are not limited to:
- Job loss;
- Significant pay rate increase;
- Change in job;
- Relocation; or
- Injury or disability.
While the loss of a job may constitute a substantial change in circumstances for the purposes of modifying a divorce order, it is critical to understand that you cannot seek a modification if you intentionally quit your job so that you would not have to pay alimony or child support. In such cases, the court may be able to impute income and require you to continue making support payments, regardless of whether or not you still have a job. In order for the court to modify child support, Florida law requires the parenting petitioning for a modification show a “difference between the existing monthly obligation and the amount provided for under the guidelines be at least 15 percent or $50 . . . before the court may find that the guidelines provide a substantial change in circumstances.”
Seek Advice from a Modifications Lawyer in Altamonte Springs
If you need assistance seeking a modification of an order from your divorce, you should get in touch with one of our Altamonte Springs modification attorneys as soon as possible. Contact The Troum Law Firm, P.A. to discuss your options with an experienced Central Florida family lawyer at our firm.