Markets have suffered substantial losses and many restaurants, bars and other businesses
across the country have closed as a result of the Coronavirus. Employers have furloughed
employees or reduced staffing in order to prevent the spread of this disease and manage the
economic impact it has created. For many individuals and families, this has caused a profound
effect on their bottom line. The question is posed - What if you or your ex-spouse or co-parent
have spousal or child support obligations that can no longer be met due to a substantial
reduction of income? Or what if you lost your job and need additional support? The time to act
may be now in order to preserve your legal rights, even while trying to work cooperatively for
the benefit of everyone in the family.
If you have a support obligation but lost your source of income or have a reduction in income as a result of the current economic situation, you may be able to seek relief from the Court by way of a motion to temporarily modify or terminate spousal or child support. In contrast, in order to seek relief or to enforce a current support order, the person receiving support may seek to hold the support payor in contempt of court for failing or refusing to pay the amount of support ordered.
These are unprecedented times, and considering everyone’s circumstances, there is no perfect
answer or single solution. For some, it may be prudent to request a support modification with
the Court as soon as possible in order to preserve your rights and the potential support
modification date. Begin the discussion with your former spouse and/or co-parent about
temporarily modifying the support amounts. This is likely the most advisable first step to help
navigate these difficult times. Ideally, this will allow both parties to participate in deciding how
to mitigate the negative impact on the family’s bottom line.
To set up a consultation, please contact Jennifer A. Navalle, Esq. of Seo Family Law at (925)390-0083 or email: jennifer@seofamilylaw.com.
By Jennifer A. Navalle, Esq., SEO Family Law
Jennifer is an active member of East Bay Business Exchange. EBBE is a business networking group, whose aim is to help each other grow through business to business referrals. Attend the next meeting of East Bay Business Exchange and discover our group.
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