Question:  I have been ordered to pay child support and have lost my job. What do I do?

Answer:  If a person ordered to pay child support were to lose a job, that would be a material and substantial change in circumstances. Teas Family Code 156.401 (a)(1). The way to address this issue is to file a Motion to Modify to reduce the child support payment. You have a monthly court ordered obligation that continues to accrue unless the order is changed. In fact, the court has the discretion to retroactively reduce the child support obligation back to the date of filing or when mom is given notice, so you want that to be as soon as possible.