Fresno Child Support Lawyer

By their very nature, child support cases can be extremely stressful. Whether you are in the midst of a divorce or legal separation, are simply no longer in a relationship with your child’s other parent, or are seeking paternity action to obtain child support, you need the assistance of a Fresno child support lawyer. Most of the time, child support is highly contested, and the litigation process can be overwhelming and confusing. A family law attorney can help ease the stress.

At Chase Family Law, our family law attorney has over 30 years of experience and is here to discuss the legal options available to you. Our attorney can help ensure you get the financial support you need for your child, make sure that your income and any financial obligations are correctly represented throughout the litigation process, and help you seek a modification to an existing child support order in response to new circumstances.

Defining Child Support in Fresno

In Fresno, California, both parents are financially responsible for raising the children they share, even if they are no longer married or in a relationship. In some cases, the parents may be able to make this decision for themselves and agree on how this responsibility will work without having to go through a lengthy court battle. However, if parents cannot agree, they will need to go to court, where a judge will make this determination based on relevant case matters.

Child support is an amount of money that the courts instruct the noncustodial parent to pay the custodial parent every month for the care of their child. This money should be used to pay for the child’s living expenses. A child support order will ensure that the parents share financial responsibility for their child and can also require an employer to deduct support from the paying parent’s earned wages.

Child support payments are typically reserved to cover the following costs:

• Food
• Clothing
• Shelter
• Healthcare
• Education
• Childcare, in cases where the custodial parent may seek employment or education to receive employable skills
• The coverage of extracurricular activities

Several factors will be considered when the courts are making a determination regarding child custody. These factors can include the following:

• How much income each parent makes on a monthly basis
• How the parents file their taxes
• How much time the noncustodial parent spends with their child
• The standard of living of the child
• Certain deductions

When looking at your disposable income, the courts will look at the income you have left over after health premiums, taxes, and any required retirement contributions. The court can also take into account any additional kinds of passive income, including pensions, stocks, unemployment benefits, commissions, and rental properties.

Deductions can also be made to your net income when child support is being calculated. These deductions can include costs of child care, health insurance, mortgage interests, property taxes, and mandatory retirement.

During a child support hearing, your attorney may ask you to bring copies of certain documents with you to determine how much money you make. These documents can include:

• W-2 forms
• Tax returns
• Pay stubs
• Expense and income declarations

There are some unfortunate cases where, even though the support case itself has ended and support is officially ordered, the situation does not end there. Sometimes, the paying parent refuses to pay or makes late payments, and it can be difficult to enforce the support.

Thankfully, Chase Family Law can help with this. Collecting support that is past due can be stressful; however, keep in mind that it will ultimately benefit you and your child and offer them what they deserve.

There are many tools available to you when seeking past-due support, and this support often comes with penalties and interest for the parent who has been avoiding their support obligations. Once you have recovered the past due child support, this money can be used for your child’s education needs, future college expenses, or anything else the child might need.

Seeking Child Support Modifications

For some individuals, once a child support case has ended and the support order is finalized, they may need to seek a modification to an existing support case later. You can request a judge change a support order if there have been significant changes in your or your co-parent’s life circumstances.

These changes in circumstances can include the following:

• You are now making a smaller wage than you were at the time that the support was ordered, either as the paying or receiving parent.
• You have suffered an injury that keeps you from being able to work for a period of time, either as the paying or receiving parent.
• You, as the paying or receiving parent, have learned that the other parent is now making more money.
• You, as the paying and noncustodial parent, are now spending more time with your child.

Requesting a modification be made to an existing child support order can be an extremely difficult process. You should only attempt these proceedings with the assistance of a family law attorney who can ensure the matter is handled correctly.

Mistakes to Avoid Making in a Child Support Case

There are certain mistakes you will want to avoid making in your child support case. These can include the following:

• Not hiring a family law attorney
• Making false claims about your income and expenses
• Failing to report any changes in your income
• Assuming that leaving your employment will automatically terminate any child support orders
• Not paying the child support amount in full each month

Speak With an Experienced Child Support Attorney Today

If you are facing a family law issue regarding child support, Chase Family Law is here to help. These cases can be extremely difficult and cause intense stress for all involved. With the help of our family law attorney, Chase Family Law can offer excellent legal counsel and guidance. Contact our office today to have your questions answered and to schedule your initial consultation.