Up 4. What if I cannot afford to pay the amount outlined in the child support guidelines?
You may ask the court to award less, but you will need to convince the judge that the guidelines are unjust or inappropriate in your case. The judge will look at many factors such as: • age and needs of the child(ren); • child care expenses incurred by you or the custodial parent in order to work; • factors consistent with the best interest of the child. Many states allow the parties to sign a written agreement that differs from the child support guidelines. If the court agrees that the amount of support serves the best interest of the child, it will be entered as an enforceable order of the court.
