Seeking maintenance modifications after your divorce can be a little more challenging than you might think. Our Family Court usually establishes a timeframe for the recipient to become self-sustaining, as well as the types of changes to the “Status Quo” that would warrant a request for post-decree modification involving maintenance, child custody, or child support down the road.
What types of changes have occurred in either your life or that of your former spouse? Usually, the Court will require either at least a 10% increase or decrease in the income of either party, the loss of a job, or a reduction in hours worked. Maintenance may be revisited if the recipient decides to cohabitate with another party or the timeframe for the recipient to become self-sufficient has arrived. Those who are self-employed or commission-based may have experienced a downturn in business, or an unexpected illness or injury may have resulted in some form of temporary or long-term disability.
Has there been a significant development in the health of either party? Are you reaching the age of retirement? These are the types of changes in the “Status Quo” that are usually required for the Court to hear a request for modification of maintenance.
Maintenance is not usually associated with the status of the children. Still, a change in a child’s needs or preferences may require post-decree modifications to child custody and visitation and/or child support. This is often due to changes in the child’s schedule, modifications to a parent’s work schedule or standard of living that allow them to spend more quality time with a child, or a change in the child’s behavior that requires a different strategy. A change in the amount of time each child spends with each parent can result in a significant change in the status quo, requiring a modification of both child custody and parenting time agreements and child support.
The experienced family law and post-decree modification lawyers at Dodd & Dodd have served Louisville, Jefferson County, and the surrounding communities for decades. We can answer your questions, analyze requested changes, and represent and protect your interests throughout the process.
Are you seeking maintenance modifications, changes to existing child custody and visitation, or child support orders? What are the significant changes to the “Status Quo” that warrant the attention of the Court? If both parties are in agreement, our attorneys can prepare appropriate paperwork and submit it to the Court for review and approval.
We invite you to review the strong recommendations of our former clients and the legal industry and contact Dodd & Dodd or call 502-584-1108 to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys.
