Determination and Enforcement of Child Support After Divorce or Legal Separation
Whether you are a parent who is in need of child support or a parent who is seeking child support, you need to know what you are entitled to and how you can receive it. Child support is an ongoing periodic payment, based on the financial benefits you have to a child. It is paid when there is a divorce or similar relationship, and after a marriage has been dissolved. During a divorce or legal separation, both parents have a legal obligation to support their children. Child support laws are set up at the state level and vary from state to state. Regardless of where you live, it is always best to seek legal counsel if you need to negotiate or dispute a child support order. Child support payments are required to be made by the payor parent in proportion to his or her income. They are meant to last until the child reaches the age of majority. If you are having trouble paying your child support, you may be able to get relief through a modification of a court order. Consider seeking legal advice from an established Houston child support attorney. If the payor’s income decreases or if his or her job has changed, he or she can file for a modification of a child support order. The court may also decide to alternate the guideline amount in special circumstances. Child support can be contentious when one parent refuses to cooperate with the other. This can occur when one parent reduces his or her child support payment or when the other parent withholds payments. A child support attorney can help you resolve these problems and ensure you receive the money you deserve. A family law attorney can also assist you with other family law issues, such as divorce, child custody, and pre-marital agreements. Whether you are a noncustodial parent, custodial parent or both, determining how much child support is due requires a complex analysis. However, there are some guidelines to help you make the right calculations. These guidelines were created to meet the requirements of federal and state law. Child support calculations are based on a number of factors, such as the age of the child, the income of both parents and the needs of the child. The child’s educational needs and health are also considered. If the obligor has irregular income, an equitable method of treating the income may be to require the obligor to pay a fixed percentage of bonuses or overtime on a periodic basis. Some states allow courts to impose wage withholdings on obligors who are not in compliance with the support order. If the child support order is not enforced, the State Child Support Unit may seize the obligor’s bank accounts, driver’s license, passport, and other property. The Unit can also notify credit reporting agencies of overdue child support payments. The Family Support Act of 1988 requires periodic review of child support orders, Title IV-D awards, and Guidelines. The Guidelines were developed to meet…