Once a court issues a child support order, can the amount of support be changed?

Child support may be modified under certain circumstances, but only through a single method: a formal amendment to the previous support order. The simplest method is for parents to agree to a change and incorporate that change into a court order. When there is no voluntary agreement, however, the party seeking the change must request a court hearing, where each party may present reasons supporting/opposing the modification. In Virginia, for example, a party seeking to modify child support must demonstrate that a “material change in circumstances” has occurred and that a modification of support would be in the child’s best interest. Common material changes in circumstances might include significant increases or decreases in a parent’s income, the cost of work-related childcare or medical insurance, the children’s needs, or number of days a parent spends with the children