Major League Baseball calls August, the “dog days of summer.” The NFL calls it “The Countdown to Kickoff.” Democrats and Republicans have their national conventions in August.

For kids getting ready to go back to school, August could be torture (because of the anticipation of a new school or school year), or it could be a feast of boredom that will last a few weeks. Either way, August means that back to school shopping will be a priority.

For parents who are separated or newly divorced, the annual school shopping season may be difficult. After all, there may be less money available for shopping because a parent with a child support obligation may not want to pay any extra for school supplies. Similarly, a custodial parent who has to pay major bills on their own may not have the same buying power.

When money beco

mes a problem, a frustrated parent may look to the court for a remedy; particularly a modification of one’s child support obligation. Non-custodial parents may want this obligation lower, while custodial parents may need more monetary support.

However, it is important to know what courts consider when applying for a modification of child support. Basically, a change in support may be granted when there is a change in the obligor’s (the person paying support) income. This does not apply when an obligee (a person receiving support) has unexpected expenses.

So if you have having difficulties with the other parent securing funds for back to school shopping, there are other ways to manage your issues. We will highlight them in our next post.