Child Support Attorneys in San Luis Obispo, CA
Like any divorce case, those involving child custody and child support can take an emotional toll on both parents. After splitting marital assets and determining the custodial parent, you may also receive a court order to pay for child support every month. The amount of the child support order can vary depending on a few different factors. Having the right child support attorney on your side can make the difference between a fair child support order and one that leaves you broke.
Experienced child support attorneys do more than just punching numbers into a calculator to determine the child support amount you may pay or receive. A child support attorney can help you foresee and plan for your child’s financial security. It is important to realize that child support is strictly about caring for the child. Spousal support or alimony is awarded to a spouse if they need financial support after a divorce.
After a divorce or paternity case in family court, child support costs can quickly add up. That’s why the court must receive an accurate depiction of parent income during the hearing. Parents required to pay child support retain that requirement until the child turns 18. Some exceptions exist for children with disabilities or unmarried children still attending high school when they turn 19 years old.
A Child Support Attorney Can Help
If you have questions or you are concerned about your child support case, contact the San Luis Obispo child custody attorneys at 805 Law Group or chat with us online today.
How to Determining Child Support Amount
While both parents have a legal responsibility to support their child financially, the determination of child support costs depends on the state. In California, the amount of time a child spends with each parent and each parent’s income play a role in determining the amount of child support payments. The state uses a mathematical formula to calculate parents’ child support responsibilities.
The formula uses the total combined income of both parents, the disposable income of the parent who earns the most, the time that parent spends as the child’s primary carer, and the disposable income between both parents per month. In essence, the parent who spends less time with the child may have to pay more child support. The number of children involved will also affect the amount.
Are Child Support Orders Permanent?
Once the family law court issues a child support order, the support must be paid until it terminates (for example when the child turns 18 years old) or it is modified. A child support modification can be filed at any time after a child support order has been issued. For the order to be modified, the party seeking the modification must show that there has been a significant change in circumstances, such as a change of employment, loss of job, won the lottery, etc.
A child support attorney can help you establish the necessary criteria to have your child support amount modified or even suspended, but both parents duty to support their children and that doesn’t go away until they are adults.
The Expenses of Child Support Obligations
When a parent receives money for child support, that money must go toward costs for the child’s wellbeing. Child support costs cover food, shelter, clothing, and education for the child. However, money in child support may also cover expenses to travel to the other parent for visitation along with childcare, medical bills, or afterschool activities.
Child support attorneys can make sure that your child support order is fair and you receive what you are due each month.
Unless the parents agree to a child support modification, a child needs to receive support payments monthly. Payments for child support may stop if the child dies, marries, or joins the military.
Experienced Child Support Attorneys
The experienced child support attorneys at 805 Law Group can help you determine what you might owe or receive in monthly child support. Any child support attorney from our San Luis Obispo & Atascadero law offices can also provide an accurate presentation of your financial situation to the court. When the court understands your finances as they are, it can prevent you from paying more in child support than you are able.
A change in your financial situation may prevent you from paying the full amount of the original order. If you or your spouse seek to modify child support costs, 805 Law Group can assist with that, too.
Call 805 Law Group today to speak with a child support attorney for a free consultation on your child support case in California.
