Modify a child support or custody order after a life change

This step produces a one-page fact sheet, dated today, that names the triggering change, the day it began, and exactly what the current order says.

It anchors the whole file: every later step quotes the numbers you write here, so a figure read from memory instead of from the signed order corrupts everything after it.

One page, no attachments. Write the sheet by hand or in a document. Four fields fill the page: the event, the start date, the order’s terms, and the income snapshot.

The triggering event — one plain sentence: ‘Lost my job on June 3, 2025,’ ‘New employer pays $18,000 more per year,’ ‘Relocating 400 miles for work,’ ‘New shift makes the 50/50 schedule impossible.’ Avoid labels like ‘financial hardship’ — name the event.

The start date — the day the change began, and whether it looks sustained — several months, no end in sight — rather than a short dip.

From the signed order — its exact date, the monthly support amount, the custody or parenting-time schedule, and the county and state that issued it.

Income snapshot — your gross monthly income then and now, and the other parent’s as best you know it.

If the signed order is lost, request a certified copy from the issuing county’s clerk — most counties list orders on an online case search.