As a parent, you are financially responsible for your children. This responsibility exists regardless of whether or not you are the primary caretaker of the child or have any legal custody rights. Child support payments ensure that minor children are financially supported by a parent that may not necessarily be the primary caretaker.
If you are seeking child support from your co-parent or are facing a request for payments, a skilled attorney could help with the process. A Junction City child support lawyer could help you make your case in court and advocate for the optimal outcome for you and your child.
A judge uses state child support guidelines to begin the process of determining the appropriate child support amount. These guidelines take into account the taxable and non-taxable income of both parents for the previous three years. Examples of income used in these calculations include wages, overtime, tips, royalties, and military pensions.
After calculating the incomes of the parents, the court will also consider certain deductions. Union dues and tax obligations are deductions that will reduce the total income of a parent for the purposes of determining child support. Using this calculated income, the court will then rely on the state guidelines to determine how much the non-custodial parent should pay each month.
The state child support guidelines are only a starting point. A parent has the right to request the judge to either increase or decrease this obligation depending on the circumstances. The court could adjust the amount of child support owed for a number of reasons, including a child’s special needs, other child support obligations, or the overall financial condition of an individual parent. A knowledgeable Junction City attorney could make a case for the judge to make a child support award that falls outside of the state guidelines.
A child support order is considered final, meaning that the obligation will remain in place unless the court takes further action. However, there are specific circumstances that allow a parent to pursue a modification of the child support obligation. An experienced Junction City attorney could advise parents on the options for modifying child support by either increasing or decreasing what is owed.
Modification is an option any time there is a material change in circumstances, which occurs when either parent faces a change in their income of 10 percent or more. A material change could involve a promotion, job loss, or even the birth of a new child.
Modification could also be possible even when there has not been a material change in circumstances. Under state law, it is possible to petition for the modification of child support obligations when a child turns six and again when the child turns 12.
Whether you are seeking a modification of a child support obligation or are preparing for a divorce proceeding, an experienced attorney might be able to assist you. Having a well-versed attorney could be the difference between a fair or an unreasonable outcome in a child support hearing.
Let a Junction City child support lawyer advocate on behalf of you and your children. To learn more about what a dedicated attorney could do for you, call today.
