Can you choose to forgo child support payments?

Whenever parents divorce in Arizona, they will usually be ordered by the courts to provide child support payments. Those payments will typically go to the parent who has sole custody of the child. The courts will often order these payments even if neither parent filed for child support. However, there are cases in which one or both parents will choose to forego child support payments. The following includes further details on the factors that may contribute to that decision.

Why a parent would stop payments

Choosing to forgo child support payments is often the result of a life-changing situation. For example, the parent providing the payments may have suddenly lost their ability to make a living. In that instance, they may petition the courts to halt or reduce the payment amount until they are back on their feet. However, you will likely need the aid of a family law attorney to do this correctly. In other situations, the parents may have gotten back together, thus removing the need for one parent to provide the bulk of the support.

How to go about stopping payments

It is important to go into greater detail regarding the halting of child support payments. The parent requesting to forgo payments will need to report to their county clerk and ask for the appropriate forms that they must fill out. You will likely face push-back from attorneys and the courts as they don’t want the child to suffer. Therefore, it is important to have the proper evidence backed by family law to support your reasons for forgoing child support payments.

As you can see from the information above, asking to stop child support payments is going to be a difficult process. That is why it is critical that you obtain the advice and service of a family law attorney before presenting your evidence.