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tina.lewert@lewertlaw.com

301 Yamato Rd #4110, Boca Raton, FL 33431, United States

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Boca Raton Divorce Lawyer and Family Attorney

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561-544-6861

Board Certified Boca Raton Support Modification Attorney

A divorce judgment fits your life at the moment it is entered, but life keeps moving. Tina L. Lewert, a Boca Raton support modification attorney who is Board Certified by The Florida Bar, helps you update child support, alimony, or time-sharing orders.

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Why You May Need a Modification

You may change jobs, lose income, relocate, or remarry. Your child’s needs may shift as they grow. When that happens, a modification can bring your child support, alimony, or time-sharing order in line with your current reality rather than a past one. As an attorney handling post judgment modification matters across Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, and as a divorce modification attorney, Tina L. Lewert helps you understand whether your situation meets the legal standard for a change and guides you through seeking one.

A modification is not automatic, and it is rarely easy to obtain without experienced help. The party asking for the change carries the burden of proving to the court that it is warranted. For most modifications, that means showing two things: that a substantial, material change in circumstances has occurred, and, where children are involved, that the change serves the child’s best interests.

What counts as “substantial” matters. The change generally must be material and not anticipated at the time of the original agreement. People seek a divorce modification for many reasons, including:

  • A significant change in one or both parents' income, including job loss or unemployment
  • A change in time-sharing or custody by agreement of both parents
  • A change in an alimony recipient's needs or financial situation
  • A parent's plan to relocate with the children
  • A child reaching the age of 18
  • The birth of a new child, a remarriage, or the death of a parent

Each of these is fact-specific, and there are exceptions in both directions, so it is worth discussing any potential change with a board-certified family law attorney before you act.

Boca Raton Support Modification Attorney
Boca Raton Support Modification Attorney

Tina Lewert

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Child Support Modification

A child support modification can go in either direction: a paying parent whose income drops may seek a decrease, and a receiving parent whose costs rise may seek an increase. Either way, Florida requires a substantial change in circumstances. As a practical threshold, the difference between the existing obligation and what the guidelines would now require generally must be at least 15 percent or $50, whichever is greater, before the court will treat the guidelines as showing a substantial change.

One thing to avoid: if your income drops, do not simply stop paying. Until the court modifies the order, the existing one stands, and falling behind can expose you to penalties. The right step is to file for a modification of child support promptly. You can read more about how support is calculated on our Boca Raton child support lawyer page.

  • Privacy. Mediation happens outside the public courtroom.
  • Speed. Mediated cases typically resolve faster than litigated ones.
  • Lower cost. Settling out of court is usually less expensive than a trial.
  • Less emotional strain. A cooperative process is easier on everyone, particularly children.
  • Control. You and your spouse shape the outcome, rather than leaving it to a judge.

Alimony Modification

Whether spousal support can be changed depends on the type of alimony and the facts. An alimony modification may be available when there is a substantial change in circumstances, such as a significant change in income or the paying spouse’s good-faith retirement. Support may also be reduced or terminated if the recipient remarries or enters a supportive relationship, meaning a cohabitation arrangement that provides financial support similar to a marriage. Some forms of alimony, such as bridge-the-gap, are not modifiable at all. Our Boca Raton alimony lawyer page explains the types of support and how each is treated.

Modifying a Time-Sharing Plan

When parents divorce, a parenting plan and time-sharing schedule are put in place, and especially with young children, that plan may need to change over time. Modifying a time-sharing schedule can be challenging, because Florida courts put the best interests of the child first and will look carefully at how a proposed change would affect the child’s life. You can read more about parenting plans on our Boca Raton child custody lawyer page.

If both parents agree to the change, the court will usually approve it, but you should still obtain documentation and court approval rather than relying on an informal arrangement, in case a dispute arises later. If one parent seeks a change and the other opposes it, a judge will decide, again with the child’s best interests as the standard.

  • Board Certified Specialist, Marital and Family Law, by The Florida Bar, 2009 to present
  • Nationally Board Certified in Family Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
  • U.S. News "Best Lawyers" 2023 to 2026, Family Law and Family Law Mediation
  • Super Lawyers Magazine's "Top Attorneys in Florida" 2013 to 2025

Why Work With a Board Certified Boca Raton Modification Attorney

Modifications turn on meeting a specific legal standard and presenting the right evidence, which is exactly where experience matters. Working with a board-certified specialist means your case is handled by someone whose focus and experience in marital and family law have been formally recognized by The Florida Bar. Because Lewert Law keeps a deliberately limited caseload, the attorney you meet is the attorney who handles your matter.

That certified focus has been recognized by The Florida Bar and the wider legal profession:

  • Board Certified Specialist, Marital and Family Law, by The Florida Bar, 2009 to present
  • Nationally Board Certified in Family Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
  • U.S. News "Best Lawyers" 2023 to 2026, Family Law and Family Law Mediation
  • Super Lawyers Magazine's "Top Attorneys in Florida" 2013 to 2025

Serving Boca Raton and South Florida

Lewert Law is based in Boca Raton and handles modification matters for clients throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County, including Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Highland Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, and Parkland. As a Boca Raton family lawyer focused exclusively on marital and family law, Tina L. Lewert handles modifications alongside the orders they revisit. Local cases are generally heard in the Palm Beach County or Broward County family courts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a substantial change in circumstances?

It is a material change that was not anticipated when the original order was entered. A new job, a relocation, or a remarriage may qualify, but not automatically, the court looks at whether the change is genuine, significant, and unforeseen. For child support specifically, the recalculated amount generally must differ from the current obligation by at least 15 percent or $50, whichever is greater.

Can child support be modified up as well as down?

Yes. A modification of child support can increase or decrease the amount. A paying parent whose income falls may seek a reduction, and a receiving parent whose expenses rise, or whose co-parent's income increases, may seek more. Either way, the substantial-change standard applies.

What happens if I just stop paying because my income dropped?

That is risky. Until a court formally modifies your order, the existing order remains in effect, and falling behind can expose you to enforcement actions and penalties. The correct approach is to file for a modification promptly so the change is handled through the court.

Can I modify alimony after the divorce?

It depends on the type of alimony. Durational and rehabilitative alimony may be modified for a substantial change in circumstances, and support can be reduced or ended on remarriage, a supportive relationship, or a good-faith retirement. Bridge-the-gap alimony is not modifiable. This kind of post judgment modification is something Lewert Law handles regularly.

Do both parents have to agree to change a time-sharing plan?

No, but agreement makes it simpler. If both parents agree, the court will usually approve the change, though you should still get court approval rather than rely on an informal deal. If one parent opposes the change, a judge decides, based on the best interests of the child.

Where are modification cases heard for Boca Raton residents?

A modification is filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and for Boca Raton residents these cases are generally heard in the family division at the South County Courthouse, located at 200 W. Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, the nearest county courthouse to Boca Raton.

Is there a support modification attorney near me in Boca Raton?

Yes. Lewert Law is located at 301 Yamato Road, Suite 4110, in Boca Raton, and we serve clients throughout the city and the surrounding area. Whether you need a child support modification attorney Boca Raton FL residents can reach easily or help with an alimony or time-sharing change, we hold many consultations by Zoom for convenience. To reach Lewert Law directly, call (561) 544-6861.

A modification usually revisits an order from one of these underlying matters:

Speak With a Boca Raton Support Modification Attorney

When your circumstances change, the sooner you act, the better your options. To talk through a possible modification with a board-certified support modification attorney, call Lewert Law at (561) 544-6861 or reach out through this site to schedule a confidential consultation.