Aspects of Child Support You Should Understand Prior to Your Divorce
Oct. 25, 2018
Most People Divorcing Have to Deal With Child Support
For those who have children, child support is among the most important issues that will need to be agreed upon or settled by a judge when a marriage ends. Sixty percent of couples who are seeking a divorce have children, which means that child support is commonly dealt with during these cases. If you’re ready to file for a divorce and you require representation, get in touch with our child support attorney at Stewart Law PLLC to discuss your particular situation.
What Is Child Support?
Child support is a term that refers to the payments one divorced parent must make to the other who has primary custody of the child in question. These payments are ordered by the court and can be determined solely at the discretion of a judge. While the primary goal of child support is to provide money to cover the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter for the child, these payments can also cover a large number of additional expenses that include:
Child care
Special needs
The cost of education
Comprehensive medical attention
In the state of Texas, the child support payments that one divorced parent receives from the other are not limited to a specified set of expenses, which means that they can be used for almost anything the child requires. The main factors considered by the court when determining how much the child support payments should be include the income of the parent who needs to make the payments, the financial necessities of the child, and the amount of money that’s required to maintain the current standard of living for that child.
Can Child Support Amounts Can Be Changed?
While the judge who is presiding over the divorce makes the decision about what the amount of child support is going to be, it’s possible for the parents to request that the amount be adjusted. In Texas and nearly every other state in this country, there are set guidelines to determine how much money will need to be paid by the parent who does not have custody of the child. However, if both parents agree on a number of conditions, they may have the ability to alter the recommended child support amount. This is much easier to accomplish during an uncontested divorce.
Child support payments are designed to begin immediately after the final judgment that dissolves the marriage. However, even after the final order has been made by the judge who is presiding over the divorce, the order may still be modified if necessary. Modifications are sometimes allowed due to changes in the financial situation of one parent or the other. If you have any issues receiving the child support payments to which you’re entitled or making the payments required of you, contact our firm to assess the circumstances.
How Our Family Law Attorneys Can Provide Assistance
Here at Stewart Law PLLC, our child support attorney wants to make sure that the needs of our clients are met at all times. We’ll answer any questions you have about child support and how it pertains to your divorce. While child support and child custody are two of the primary issues that need to be resolved when obtaining either an uncontested or a contested divorce, this doesn’t means that these issues are always difficult to settle. With an experienced attorney by your side, you’ll know what to expect throughout the entire divorce process, and this includes negotiations about child support. Our attorneys can also help you identify approximately how much you should be receiving in child support payments so that you’ll have a clear idea of what to expect from the judge presiding over your case.
If you’re about to file for a divorce and you have questions about child support, call our office in Baytown, Texas to speak with a family law attorney and obtain the assistance you require.