By: Andrew D. Taylor, Esq.
Every few years the Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines are reviewed and changed. On May 1,2017 new Guidelines go into effect. They can be found here.
While the actual support amount figures generally don’t change drastically, every little increase can help a custodial parent. In Pennsylvania, whenever the Guidelines are amended, a parent is entitled to file a modification of support and have their case reviewed. The change to the Guidelines constitutes a substantial change in circumstances allowing a parent to file a petition to modify.
Before filing to modify support though, careful thought should be given to all circumstances. If a petition to increase support is field, but when you get to court the circumstances warrant a decrease in support, the support amount actually goes down. This could happen if the parent paying support is making less money than when the last support order was entered, the parent receiving support is making more money, daycare costs have changed, medical insurance costs have changed, etc.
The bottom line is that a change in the support amount may be warranted based on the new Guidelines. However, make sure you consult with an attorney and review all circumstances and perform support calculations before filing a petition and going to court.
Pennsylvania Family Law Blog 