When can parents request an increase or reduction of child support?

Attorney Gabrielė Šinkonė commented for TV3.lt on the nuances of child support: when and why maintenance payments are most often increased or reduced

Attorney Gabrielė Šinkonė provided commentary for a TV3.lt article, explaining in which circumstances courts most often increase or decrease child support, what life changes typically prompt parents to request a review of maintenance, what is currently considered an average support amount in Lithuania, and shared real examples from her legal practice.

“The amount of child support may be reduced when one parent’s financial or personal situation changes significantly and not due to their own actions,” explains attorney Gabrielė Šinkonė.

Such cases include situations where a parent loses working capacity or faces a serious illness that objectively limits their ability to earn income. However, if a person chooses a lower-paying job or loses it due to their own fault, this is not considered a valid reason to reduce child support – courts consistently emphasize that parents have a duty to make every effort to provide for their child financially.

Sometimes, child support may also be reviewed when the family situation changes – for instance, if the parent paying support has more children or assumes new legal obligations towards other dependents. The amount may also be adjusted if the child’s living arrangements change and both parents begin sharing daily expenses more equally.

In all cases, the child’s best interests are the key consideration – ensuring that the changes do not affect the child’s access to the same level of care, attention, and financial security.

Requests to increase child support are usually based on the same principle – a material change in circumstances that must be supported by evidence. This may include situations where the child’s needs increase significantly, such as starting school, engaging in more extracurricular activities or sports, or requiring more costly medical or developmental services. It can also occur when the paying parent’s financial position improves or the overall cost of living rises.

Parents most commonly turn to the court for a review of the support amount when their child transitions to a new stage of life – for example, moving from kindergarten to school or from primary to secondary education.
Such changes often lead to additional expenses: school supplies, uniforms, extracurricular activities, or professional support such as psychologists or speech therapists.

As children become teenagers, expenses tend to grow further – sports competitions, tutors, technology, and travel costs often come into play.
Broader economic reasons – such as rising prices, the lack of access to public childcare, or transferring a child to a private school – may also justify revisiting the support amount.

Courts do not assess how much time has passed since the last ruling but rather the substance of changed circumstances, supported by proof such as invoices, contracts, or medical reports.

Courts always evaluate each case individually, based on the child’s real needs and both parents’ financial capacity, but in practice, there is a general benchmark – the total monthly amount necessary for a child’s needs should not be less than the minimum monthly wage (MMA).

As of January 1, 2025, the MMA in Lithuania is €1,038 gross (around €777 net). This amount is often used as a reference for a child’s total monthly needs.
If the child primarily lives with one parent, the other parent typically contributes about €400 per month per child.
For children with higher needs – such as those requiring medical treatment, engaging in costly extracurricular activities, or attending international schools – the amount may reach €600–800 or more.

When determining the amount, courts rely on three key principles:

• the child’s actual and justified needs (housing, food, education, health, transport, activities);

• both parents’ financial capabilities;

• the principle of proportionality.

“In child support cases, the numbers often matter less than the real-life circumstances,” says attorney Gabrielė Šinkonė.

In one case, a mother applied for child support, but during the proceedings, the father’s health deteriorated significantly – he was partially incapacitated and had to reduce his workload. The court, after reviewing medical evidence, acknowledged that his reduced income was not his fault and therefore set a lower support amount than the usual minimum benchmark.

Another case involved a teenager with athletic achievements who received a scholarship to study and train in the U.S. Initially, the father was reluctant to contribute additional funds, arguing that the scholarship would cover all costs. However, a peaceful settlement was reached after it was explained that the scholarship covered only part of the expenses, while travel, insurance, and living costs still remained.

In both cases, the court evaluated whether the changes were indeed material and justified – in one instance due to health issues, in the other due to the child’s talent and new opportunities.

Such examples show that child support is not just a financial issue but a reflection of broader family circumstances.

Read the full TV3.lt article:
👉 A man hid his assets to avoid paying child support: now he’ll pay three times more