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Towson Divorce Lawyers:  Post-Divorce Modifications

For divorcing couples who have children together, child support and child custody are often among the most important and contentious issues decided between parties.  Couples often spend hours, with or without the assistance of a court, crafting a parenting plan to address important details relating to the financial, physical and emotional well-being of their children.  This includes where and with whom a child will live, where they will go to school, when they will have visitation with the non-custodial parent and which parent will make decisions on behalf of the child.  Unfortunately, these parenting plans are rarely final in nature.

Maryland courts will allow a modification of parenting plans when there has been a “material change in circumstances.” A wide range of circumstances may create the need to modify an existing child support award or child custody and visitation arrangement including:

  • The change in income of one or both spouses

Courts will calculate child support obligations on the basis of the income of each parent at the time of the divorce.  A change in the income level of either parent may result in the need to decrease or increase a child support award.  There are many reasons why a parent’s income may change including a change in employment, a promotion, demotion or termination of current employment or the receipt of a sudden windfall (such as an inheritance or lottery win.)

  • A change in living circumstances

Certain changes in living circumstances may result in the need to modify an existing child custody arrangement or child support agreement.  If a parent remarries, relocates, becomes unable to physically care for a child or begins to engage in an activity that puts the child at risk, modification of a child custody arrangement may be necessary.  Sometimes older children express the desire to live with a different parent and such a change may also be handled through a post-divorce modification of a child custody agreement.

  • A change in a parent’s work or travel schedule

A change in one parent’s work or travel schedule can make an existing child visitation schedule impossible to maintain.  Changes in visitation arrangements may also be made through the post-divorce modification of a child custody or visitation agreement.

  • The unauthorized removal or relocation of a child from Maryland

When one parent removes or relocates a child from Maryland without the express consent of the other parent, the opposing parent may petition the Maryland courts to have the child returned to the state and for the child custody award to be modified accordingly.

  • Other significant life changes

Other significant life events that may justify the post-divorce modification of a child support or child custody agreement include the birth of subsequent children or a substantial change in the material, social or emotional needs of child.  If a child becomes diagnosed with a medical condition or mental impairment, there may be issues to modify in the existing child support and custody arrangement.

Towson Divorce Lawyers Handle Post-Divorce Modifications in Maryland Family Court

As with the creation of a parenting plan, it benefits all involved parties, especially the children, when divorced couples work together to appropriately modify an existing child support or child custody agreement. At Huesman, Jones & Miles, LLC, our dedicated Baltimore County divorce lawyers can assist families with the post-divorce modification of both court-ordered and voluntary child support and child custody agreements.

Our law offices are conveniently located in Hunt Valley, Maryland to serve our Maryland family law clients throughout the greater Baltimore area. Our divorce lawyers can handle all your divorce needs including the post-divorce modification of child support and custody agreements and those related to property division, alimony, child support, child custody, visitation and parenting plans.  To schedule your free confidential consultation with a reputable Towson divorce lawyer, call Huesman, Jones & Miles, LLC at 443-589-0150 or submit an online inquiry form.  We service clients throughout Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County, including the areas of Baltimore, Hunt ValleyTowson, Essex, Columbia, Pikesville and Bel Air.

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