If given the chance to be extremely lucky for just one thing, just about every Montgomery resident would use that luck on a Powerball ticket. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 175,223,510, not very likely at all. Many individuals would compare those odds to the chance of a divorce occurring in their marriage, but, unfortunately, in today’s society, every marriage has a near 50 percent chance of failing.
The most recent large lottery winner used some of his winnings to pay off a near $30,000 child support debt that he owed his ex. The man had won the fourth largest Powerball in history at $338 million. After taking the lump sum and paying various taxes, the father of five walked away with $152 million. Many people plan to buy a fast car or large mansion with their winnings, but, for this man, he had to pay his child support for three of his kids whose ages vary between 5 and 23.
The father also hopes to have all of his children live with him instead of his ex. He plans to do what is right for his family. Like most child support cases, the man will continue to have to pay child support until all of his children are 18, but what happens if his ex wants to modify their child support agreement now that the father has more money?
In most cases, modifications to child support can be made at any time until the child turns 18. Individuals wishing to modify their child support must show a change in circumstances that would make the modification necessary. For instance, if the recipient re-marries or if the one making the payments losses his or her job, both example circumstances would be solid grounds for having child support modified.
In Tennessee, child support guidelines can often be ambiguous or difficult to determine at times. It is important for individuals considering child support or child support modification to understand their rights and responsibilities.
Source: CNN, “Powerball winner pays $30,000 in back child support,” Lenny Bourin, April 2, 2013
