All family law courts in the United States place a high importance on a parent’s child support obligations. This means that child support cannot be discharged in any type of bankruptcy. In other words, courts always expect parents to pay their support obligations regardless of their financial situations.

We do not believe any parent in Wisconsin would dispute the importance of child support. However, we also understand how difficult it is to meet these obligations in the midst of a financial crisis. While it is certainly true that you cannot be relieved of these obligations by pursuing bankruptcy, we want you to know that bankruptcy can help in many situations.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy, in particular, can help parents meet their support obligations. This can work because a Chapter 13 typically reduces your other financial debts into a payment system that you can manage. If you have continued to make your support payments in the midst of your financial hardships, bankruptcy courts will look kindly on your situation and likely try to help you as much as possible.

To aid your case even more, you may also request assistance from the family law court in reducing your child support obligations. Putting these two legal remedies — Chapter 13 bankruptcy and child support modification orders — together often helps debt-riddled parents stay on top of their parental responsibilities while also starting fresh.

As you might expect, it is a great idea to seek a legal opinion before making any drastic financial decisions. We also invite you to explore our Chapter 13 bankruptcy webpage. This can help you decide if you need to reach out for more personalized counsel.