With job losses mounting, the immediate fear is providing basic necessities for home.  If you are paying child support, however, the worry is both paying for your own needs and paying support to your former partner and children.  While you may choose to cut back your spending, you can’t simply reduce child support payments. If you do, the support is owed and you need to pay it back.  In this situation, filing a petition or motion to reduce support is critical to avoid owing arrears.  Owing arrears may make pulling yourself out of the financial mess even harder once everything gets going.   While a lawyer is always best, if you can’t afford a lawyer, the court system has tools to file the petition on your own.