Child support is deemed to be the number one financial priority for all parents. Child support orders are modifiable only if there is a written agreement or subsequent court order. Verbal agreements with the recipient, unilateral reduction of support payments or only partial payments do not change the obligation to pay the court ordered support. The easiest way is to have a written agreement, between the parents, stating the new support amount, the commencement date, and the termination date. The parties should sign and date this document with each retaining a signed original.
Support is only modifiable back to the date the paperwork was actually filed with the court.
It is very important not to wait too long before actually filing this paperwork or the support obligation will continue to accrue. Many counties in California have adopted a spousal support guideline, much like the child support guidelines discussed above. This support is usually agreed to or ordered at the inception of the parties' separation. Rarely is there enough money in the family to maintain two households at the same standard of living. As a result, many temporary orders are a strain on each party, with the recipient having to adjust their standard of living substantially downward from the marital standard of living, and the payor having insufficient funds to maintain a standard of living outside the family home.