Source: https://www.stevenkriegerlaw.com/blog/category/family-law
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 17:10:42+00:00

Document:
How Do I Change or Modify Child Support that is Owed to Me or that I Owe?
Virginia Code § 20-108 provides that a court may modify a prior order that awarded child support. To change the court-ordered child support payments, there must have been a material or substantial change in circumstances. The party petitioning for an increase or decrease in child support bears the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence that a material change in circumstance occurred that justified that change. Edwards v. Lowry, 232 Va. 110, 112 (1986).
A prominent example of a material change is when a parent has a change in financial circumstances. If a parent were to motion for a reduction in child support payments, they must make a full and clear disclosure regarding his or her ability to pay. Hammers v. Hammers, 216 Va. 30, 31-32 (1975). However, there are some instances where the court will not modify a child support payment. If a parent takes on a new business venture or changes employment, he or she bears the risk of losing money, yet they are still obligated to pay child support. Antonelli v. Antonelli, 242 Va. 152, 156 (1991). Furthermore, case law holds “the risk of reduction in income as a result of a parent’s intentional act, even if done in good faith, is insufficient grounds for reducing the amount of support due under a pre-existing order.” Hamel v. Hamel, 18 Va. App. 10, 13 (Va. Ct. App. 1994). Lastly, if a parent has a reduction in income that is due to his own voluntary acts or to his own neglect, he must still pay child support. Hammers, 216 Va. at 31-32.
Another example of a material change in circumstance is when the needs of a child changes, including childcare costs. Parents may argue that as their children get older they don’t need to be placed in childcare anymore, and thus a reduction in child support payments may be justified. Shoup v. Shoup, 37 Va. App. 240, 254 (Va. Ct. App. 2001). However, some parents argue for an increase in support because their children may attend private school or even participate in extra-curricular activities that require greater sums of money. Joynes v. Payne, 35 Va. App. 386, 407 (Va. Ct. App. 2001).
Courts will also consider the change of physical custody from one parent to another as a material change in circumstance. See Rippe v. Rippe, 3 Va. App. 506 (1986). Also, if a parent intentionally withholds visitation rights from the other parent without a sufficient reason, the courts may consider this to be a material change in circumstance as well. Va. Code Ann. § 20-108.
There are some instances where the court does not consider an event to be a material change in circumstance, and therefore will not increase, decrease, or terminate child support. For instance, if a parent earns income from secondary employment for the purpose of paying off a previous court-ordered child support debt, that income will not be calculated into his or her gross income. Va. Code Ann. § 20-108.2(C). Additionally, the court will not take into consideration the financial responsibilities of having other children who are not a party to the current proceeding, and thus they will not likely modify the child support payments in such instances. Id.
For information about how to initially calculate child support, please see my prior post: How Do I Calculate the Amount of Child Support I Owe or that is Owed to Me?
How Do I Calculate the Amount of Child Support I Owe or that is Owed to Me?
“[P]arents owe a duty of support to their minor children.” Kelley v. Kelley, 248 Va. 295, 298 (1994). The payment of child support cannot be contracted around by the parents, and furthermore, a court cannot be barred from exercising its power to calculate child support from such an agreement. Id.
Virginia Code § 20-108.2(B) provides a guideline of monthly basic child support obligations. The basic child support obligation is calculated based on the combined income of the parents and how many children the couple has (both natural born and adopted). Id. A court may allow an exemption that would make the child support obligation lower than the statutory minimum provided by the guideline. Id. Exemptions may include: (1) if the obligor is “unable to pay child support because they lack sufficient assets from which to pay the support and who, in addition, are institutionalized in a psychiatric facility”; (2) if the obligor is “imprisoned for life without chance of parole”; (3) if the obligor is medically disabled; or (4) if the obligor is “involuntarily unable to produce an income.” Furthermore, if the gross income of the obligor is equal to or less than 150% of the federal poverty line, the court may set an amount that is lower than the statutory minimum, provided that the amount doesn’t impair the other parent’s ability to maintain sufficient housing and provide basic needs for the child. Id.
When the court computes the parent’s income, it includes income from: “salaries, wages, commissions, royalties, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, capital gains, social security benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, unemployment benefits, disability insurance benefits, veterans’ benefits, spousal support, rental income, gifts, prizes, or awards.” Va. Code Ann. § 20-108.2(C). However, there are some incomes that are not included when computing child support payments. These include: “benefits from public assistance and social services programs, federal supplemental security income benefits, child support received, or income received by the payor from secondary employment income” that is for the purpose of paying a court-ordered child support debt from another relationship. Id. Examples of secondary employment incomes are “incomes from an additional job, from self-employment, or from overtime employment.” Id. In addition, if one of the parents is already paying child support from a previous relationship and that child is not a party to the current proceeding, then that amount will be deducted from the gross income of that parent. Id.
As per the establishment of a child support obligation, both parents are also required to pay “any reasonable and necessary unreimbursed medical or dental expenses. Va. Code Ann. § 20-108.2(D). This is calculated pursuant to the parents’ proportion of gross incomes. Id. These types of expenses may include “eyeglasses, prescription medication, prosthetics, orthodontics, and mental health or developmental disabilities services, such as services provided by a social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, or therapist.” Id. A court will also take into consideration the costs for health care coverage, vision care coverage, and dental care coverage and add those expenses to the basic child support obligation. Va. Code Ann. § 20-108.2(E). Furthermore, if the custodial parent puts the child in some sort of licensed child-care system, those child-care costs will be added to the support obligation. Va. Code Ann. § 20-108.2(F). However, the court must “consider the willingness and availability of the noncustodial parent to provide child care personally in determining whether child-care costs are necessary or excessive.” Id.
To rebut the presumption of the amount of child support set out by the statutory guidelines, the court evaluates all the relevant evidence. Va. Code Ann. § 20-108.1(B). This leads to a very fact specific inquiry and every case will be different. Id. The court will look at fifteen factors, but each factor may not be applicable in every case.
Virginia Code § 20-108.1(B) lists fifteen factors that Virginia courts evaluate to determine a rebuttable presumption of child support.
Stay tuned for my next blog post "How Do I Change or Modify Child Support that is Owed to Me or that I Owe?"
How Do I Change or Modify the Amount of Spousal Support I am Paying or Receiving?
There are two ways a court may change or modify a spousal support award: (1) where both parties agree to modify the amount, or (2) where a material change in circumstances or change in event happens that would involve a change in the spousal support amount.
The most efficient way to change a spousal support order is by agreement of the parties because a court cannot unilaterally change an agreed upon spousal support award according to the terms or stipulation or contract signed by both of the parties. See Blackburn v. Michael, 30 Va. App. 95, 100 (Va. Ct. App. 1999).
However, if the parties cannot agree to a modification themselves, then upon the petition of either party, a “court may increase, decrease, or terminate the amount or duration” of any spousal support using the factors mentioned in my blog post How Do I Calculate the Amount of Spousal Support I owe or that is Owed to Me? Va. Code Ann. § 20-109(B). See also Thomas v. Thomas, 217 Va. 502, 505 (1976) (“where changed circumstances are demonstrated,” either spouse can petition for an increase, decrease, or termination of spousal support). The court may make these changes if (1) there has been a material change in the circumstances for either of the parties, or (2) if an event the court anticipated during the duration of the award did not in fact happen. Id.
The party moving for a modification of spousal support has additional burdens and thresholds to overcome. He or she must prove “both a material change in circumstances and that this change warrants a modification of support. Schoenwetter v. Schoenwetter, 8 Va. App. 601, 605 (Va. Ct. App. 1989). The material change in a spouse’s circumstance must occur after the court’s award decree. Hiner v. Hadeed, 15 Va. App. 575, 577 (Va. Ct. App. 1993). The change in circumstances that allow a court to modify the spousal support must be financial and economic ones. Hollowell v. Hollowell, 6 Va. App. 417, 419 (Va. Ct. App. 1988).
For example, the court in Reece v. Reece granted the husband’s request for a decrease in spousal support because he “proved that his financial circumstances had materially changed . . . after he involuntarily lost his job” as opposed to voluntarily leaving his job. Reece v. Reece, 22 Va. App. 368, 373 (Va. Ct. App. 1996). Additionally, there was no evidence that the husband refused a comparable employment opportunity that would “deliberately minimized his income for the purpose of reducing his ability to support [his] wife.” Id. at 374-75.
But, simply losing your job is not necessarily enough to secure a reduction in spousal support. For example, in Smull, the husband was working full time at a corporation when the corporation lost a contract. Smull v. Smull, 45 Va. Cir. 336, 336 (Va. Cir. Ct. 1998). The husband was involuntarily placed on part time duty with the corporation. Id. He then decided to begin a new career that paid much lower than his corporate job. Id. Subsequently, the court denied his request to decrease his spousal support payments reasoning that his inability to pay was due to his own negligence of not securing a comparable job that had the same earning capacity as his corporation job. Id. at 337.
Spousal support may not last forever. In fact, there are three common instances that usually end spousal support.
If a spouse whom is receiving spousal support and has been habitually cohabitating with another person in a relationship that is analogous to a marriage for one year or more, the other spouse can petition the spousal support. Va. Code Ann. § 20-109(A). The court must terminate the spousal support in this situation unless the divorced parties had a stipulation or contract that said otherwise or unless the spouse receiving the spousal support proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the termination of the support would be unconscionable. § 20-109(A)(i)-(ii).
Va. Code Ann. § 20-110 states that if the spouse receiving the spousal support remarries, then the spousal support must terminate the date of the new marriage. The spouse receiving the support has an affirmative duty to notify the other spouse paying the support to cease payments. Id.
Unless the parties had some sort of stipulation or contract that stated otherwise, spousal support must terminate upon the death of either of the parties. Va. Code Ann. § 20-109(D).
How Do I Calculate the Amount of Spousal Support I Owe or that is Owed to Me?
Formally known as “alimony,” when one spouse needs more financial support than the other, the spouse in need may petition the court for spousal support after the divorce complaint has been filed. The traditional example is a stay-at-home mom who takes care of the kids while the dad leaves the home for a 9 to 5 office job. Because mom’s job did not produce a financial income that she could rely upon after that marriage ended, courts allow mom (or the spouse in need of financial assistance) to file for spousal support.
When determining the amount of spousal support, the court evaluates all relevant evidence, which leads to a very fact specific inquiry. Va. Code Ann. § 20-107.1(E). In other words, every case will be different and the court will look at thirteen factors, but each factor may not be applicable in every case.
Virginia Code § 20-107.1 lists thirteen factors that Virginia courts evaluate to determine spousal support.
1. The obligation, needs and financial resources of the parties, including income from all pensions, profit sharing, or retirement places. The Virginia State Bar states that the courts place much significance on the payor’s ability to pay the support and do not overweigh the payee’s need for the spousal support.
2. The standard of living established during the marriage, and not the standard of living a spouse lives after the married dissolved. See Furr v. Furr, 13 Va. App. 479 (Va. Ct. App. 1992) (the court increased the spousal support award for the wife, holding that the wife experienced a marked reduction in her standard of living due to a dramatic rise in living expenses after the divorce, but not necessarily due to the divorce itself).
3. How long the marriage lasted. The Virginia State Bar has stated that “[a] financially dependent spouse of a long-term marriage is more likely to receive an award of spousal support than one who has been in a short marriage.” See also Keyser v. Keyser, 7 Va. App. 405 (Va. Ct. App. 1988) (finding that four years of marriage is considered a relatively short marriage and that having a relatively short marriage alone does not bar a spouse from rights and interests in the marital assets); Robinson v. Robinson, 45 Va. App. 682 (Va. Ct. App. 2005) (husband only paid spousal support for seventeen months because marriage lasted relatively short duration); Baer v. Baer, No. 2278-94-1, 1996 Va. App. LEXIS 73 (Va. Ct. App. Feb. 6, 1996) (holding that the short duration of a marriage is considered when applied with other spousal support factors, but cannot be the only factor to consider).
4. The age and physical and mental condition of the parties and any special circumstances of the family. See Cooper v. Cooper, 4 Va. Cir. 154 (Va. Cir. Ct. 1984). (the court took into consideration that the wife had multiple sclerosis, was disabled, and received Social Security disability benefits and was unable to participate in gainful employment when ruling in favor of spousal support to the wife).
5. The extent to which the age, physical or mental condition or special circumstances of any child of the parties would make it appropriate that a party not seek employment outside of the home. See Block v. Block, 2005 Va. App. LEXIS 82 (Va. Ct. App. Mar. 1, 2005) (“[t]he court particularly referenced the income and earning capacities of the parties . . . the special needs of the one child; and the decisions regarding employment” for the spousal support award).
6. The contributions, monetary and nonmonetary, of each party to the well-being of the family. See Holmes v. Holmes, 7 Va. App. 472 (Va. Ct. App. 1988) (the court noted that while the husband provided almost all the monetary contributions, the wife provided a significant amount of nonmonetary contributions including the duties of homemaker, mother, and military officer’s wife).
7. The property interests of the parties, both real and personal, tangible and intangible. See Martin v. Martin, 2009 Va. App. LEXIS 80 (Va. Ct. App. Feb. 24, 2009) (holding that the trial court properly considered both real and personal property, tangible and intangible when ruling that it was not going to put the wife in a position of trying to sell the marital home for the purpose of having a lower mortgage payment).
9. The earning capacity, including the skills, education and training of the parties and the present employment opportunities for persons possessing such earning capacity. See Srinivasan v. Srinivasan, 10 Va. App. 728 (Va. Ct. App. 1990) (the court took note that the wife was capable of earning a certain amount per year, yet held that she was entitled to a reasonable time to secure employment, and thus was awarded spousal support).
10. The opportunity, ability, and/or the time and costs involved for a spouse to acquire the appropriate education, training and employment to obtain the skills needed to enhance his or her earning ability. See Holmes v. Holmes, 7 Va. App. 472 (Va. Ct. App. 1988) (the court awarded the wife spousal support by considering the wife’s limited opportunity to seek training and employment at the age of sixty-four).
11. The decisions regarding employment, career, economics, education and parenting arrangements made by the parties during the marriage and their effect on present and future earning potential, including the length of time. See Hubbard v. Hubbard, 2008 Va. App. LEXIS 504 (Va. Ct. App. Nov. 18, 2008) (the court took into consideration that both the husband and wife agreed that wife would leave workforce to take care of four children while he worked).
12. The extent to which either party has contributed to the attainment of education, training, career position or profession of the other party. See Hicks v. Hicks, 2012 Va. Cir. LEXIS 80 (Va. Cir. Ct. June 13, 2012) (the court took into consideration that the husband financially supported the wife’s college education during the marriage and thus reduced the amount of spousal support given to her).
In setting the spousal support amount, a court “a court must look to current circumstances and what the circumstances will be ‘within the immediate or reasonably foreseeable future,’ not to what may happen in the future.” Srinivasan v. Srinivasan, 10 Va. App. 728, 735 (Va. Ct. App. 1990) (quoting Young v. Young, 3 Va. App. 80, 81-82 (Va. App. Ct. 1986)).
These factors help to determine the nature, amount, and duration of the spousal support. The court can order that the spousal support needs to be paid in periodic payments for a defined duration, in periodic payments for an undefined duration of time, in one lump sum, or a combination of any of these. Va. Code. Ann. § 20-107.1(C).
Stay tuned for my next blog post about how to change or modify the spousal support award due to a material change in circumstances.

References: § 20
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 § 20
 § 20
 v. 
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 v. 
 § 20
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 § 20
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 § 20