What happens if I can’t afford to pay child support?

If you are not able to afford to pay child support in Alaska, the court may consider certain factors in order to adjust your payments. If a court decree has been entered ordering you to pay child support, the court will look at the individual circumstances, such as your financial resources available to you, your income, assets, and other financial obligations, to determine the amount of child support you can reasonably afford. The court may also consider any special needs your child may have, as well as the lifestyle the family enjoyed before the divorce or separation. The court may also consider whether you are able to make payments without compromising your ability to maintain a reasonable standard of living. In some cases, the court may also order you to complete a periodic review of your finances. This periodic review is to ensure that you have sufficient resources to continue to meet your child support obligation without unduly compromising your ability to provide yourself with the basic necessities required for a reasonable standard of living. In addition, if you are unable to afford to pay your child support, the court may order other forms of relief, such as suspending or reducing your child support payments for a period of time, entering into a payment plan, or finding a third party to serve as a payor of your child support, such as a family member or friend. It is important to note that any delinquent payments must be paid in full in order for the court to modify or change the original court order. If you are unable to pay your child support obligation, it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible in order to discuss your options.

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