Why You May Need a Child Support Attorney

The importance of a good child support attorney cannot be overstated, simply because parents have a legal responsibility to support their children, whether they are married or not. This responsibility does not come to an end when parents decide to go their separate ways. In an ideal situation, both parties would agree to jointly provide for all their children’s needs. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done for many couples who, all too often, cannot agree on what constitutes a fair share of the responsibility.It is often true that in joint custody cases neither parent pays child support to the other. However, child support has to be paid when one parent has primary custody of the child or children, and /or has an income that is significantly lower than the other parent. This amount of money, which is usually paid on a monthly basis, is determined by the court according to a standard formula based on a number of factors, such as finances and how much time each parent spend with the child. Unfortunately, it is fairly common for one parent to try and shirk as much of their obligation as possible which leaves the other parent with an unfair, and often impossible, burden.This is where an experienced child support attorney is not only invaluable, but indispensable.  Although one might imagine that child support issues are, or at least should be, clear cut and easy to navigate, this is rarely the case. As attorneys familiar with the law, we can ensure that you are treated fairly.The amount of child support a person pays is based on their net income. Parents are required to submit a detailed account of their monthly income and expenses, and as your child support attorney, we will delve ‘behind the scenes’ as it were, to ensure that all of your ex’s income is accounted for. When it comes to child support, we can make a case for what should be considered income. For example, capital gains or gambling earnings may or may not be taken into consideration, making our arguments for or against, important. Additionally, it is far from uncommon for a non-custodial parent to claim tax deductions that they are not entitled to, which affects their net income, on which the child support is based. On the other side of the coin, we will make certain that the custodial parent is claiming the appropriate expenses associated with child care.Additionally, if you are the parent paying child support and loses your job or become unemployed for some other reason, you will need an experienced child support attorney to either negotiate a temporary reduction in the amount being paid or petition the family court to modify the payments permanently.Last, but certainly not least, in the event that your ex does not pay the support that he or she, has been ordered to, we can help you to navigate the court system and have the child support orders enforced.