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Custody Modifications: What You Need to Know

Sep 25, 2019

You love your little ones and want to spend as much time with them as possible. From attending school events to caring for them according to your parenting plan, you’re always there for them. So, if something has changed with your ex’s schedule or your children’s needs, it’s perfectly understandable that you want to modify the custody agreement. 

After all, this could mean you get more time with your children, pay less in child support because you’re caring for them, and simplify the process for everyone. The Fairell Firm can help. Our family law firm is conveniently located in Tucker, but our family law attorneys serve clients throughout all of Atlanta. Today’s blog was inspired by a question from one of our readers: 

When I got divorced, my ex-wife got primary custody of the children. However, they have now been living with me for the past 15 months. Is there anything that I need to do in court? —Stephen W.

If this situation applies to you, then our family law attorneys can help. Contact The Fairell Firm today to schedule a consultation with a family law lawyer who is passionate about helping people throughout Atlanta.

Court Orders Are Necessary to Change Custody and Child Support

Often, parents may “adjust” their parenting plan , so to speak, exclusively by discussing it with each other. Nothing will be done in court to change it and nothing will even be written down. While this may seem like an easy solution for a weekend when one parent’s schedule conflicts with the plan, it is certainly not a viable long-term solution. In situations like these, for example, people like Stephen W. end up caring for the children for 15 months even though that’s not what the court order requires. 

To officially change a child custody or child support order, it’s necessary to work with a family law attorney to change the order in court. Here at The Fairell Firm, we have child support lawyers and child custody lawyers who are very experienced in this. 

Why It’s Important to Request Modification

Everything between you, your ex, and your children seems to be working fine — why bring in the court and mess with a good thing? However, it’s incredibly important to request modification with the help of a family law attorney primarily because of child support payments

Let’s say you pay child support because your kids live with your ex. They then move in with you per a spoken agreement and you stop paying child support. Even though the kids are with you, you are still responsible for paying the other parent the monthly payment according to the court order. If you don’t do so, then you could accrue arrears every month you don’t pay and potentially have to pay thousands of dollars of backpay. This can all be resolved from the beginning by working with a family law attorney to change the custody and support agreements.

Meet With a Family Law Attorney Today

Learn more about modifying visitation vs. modifying custody , child support in the summer , child support refunds , and more when you browse our blog. Here at The Fairell Firm in Tucker, our family law attorneys are ready and willing to help you with your case. We help clients throughout all of Atlanta, and we are experienced in many aspects of family law. Whether it’s modifying your court order, filing for divorce, or learning more about visitation rights, we are the family law lawyers for you. Contact us today to get started with a consultation with a family law attorney in Atlanta.

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