Child Support After Moving to a New State

[md123180]

My question involves child support in the State of: California / Pennsylvania / Virginia

I am currently paying on an order in CA. However, I will be moving to VA shortly to be closer to the kids (closest place for my job). I am curious which state has jurisdiction.

1. Children reside in PA with custodial parent
2. I am moving from CA to VA shortly (will notify CA upon arrival in VA)
3. Initial modification was requested in PA, then assigned to CA (where I lived)
4. I will be requesting a modification upon arrival (as I will be receiving significantly less salary)

Which state will have jurisdiction over the support entitlement guidelines? Nobody will live in CA, and they've already determined it won't be them. I'm just trying to figure out how much (ballpark) I'm looking to shell out once I make the move so I can start planning everything else.

Thanks!

[Dogmatique]

Who told you CA won't retain jurisdiction?

[md123180]

DCSS. They couldn't tell me much more, though...

[Mr. Knowitall]

You have told us that the support order was issued by Pennsylvania and have suggested that all California was doing was collecting support and relaying it back to Pennsylvania. It would make sense for California to state that, once the payor moves out of California and nobody involved has any contact with California, it's going to stop its enforcement of the foreign state court's support order.

If, as you're suggesting, Pennsylvania has always had jurisdiction over custody matters and is properly applying its own formula, then you petition for modification in Pennsylvania and seek relief under Pennsylvania's child support formula. Pennsylvania may well seek enforcement of its order through the Virginia courts, just as it did with California. We cannot promise you that a court reviewing a petition to modify support will grant a modification based upon a voluntary reduction in income.