Child support is a major issue for parents going through a divorce or separation. How do you plan to provide for the financial needs of your children? What if the other parent is unwilling to pay the amount that is considered reasonable? A child support attorney can assist you in negotiating a child support agreement that takes the requirements of your children into account. In the event that the other parent falls behind on child support payments, they can also assist you in enforcing the payments. Let’s take a look at the various ways in which a child support attorney might assist you with child support issues.
What exactly is child support?
Child support is payment made by one parent to the other in order to provide financial assistance for the kid(s) of the couple. The amount of child support owed in North Carolina is determined by the state using a formula that takes the combined income of both parents into consideration, as well as the number of nights that each child spends with each parent.
However, there are also other aspects to consider. Let’s go deeper into some further considerations that the court will review when determining the amount of child support to be paid.
The North Carolina Child Support Guidelines and Calculation
In order to determine correctly the amount of child support to be paid, the North Carolina child support formula takes a number of considerations into account. These are the following:
- The combined earnings of both parents.
- The total number of nights that each child stays with each of their parents.
- The cost of providing medical coverage for the children.
- The expense of child care.
- Extraordinary costs incurred on behalf of the children (such as private school tuition).
It is absolutely necessary to have an experienced child support attorney on your side during the difficult time of a divorce. They will be able to assist you in ensuring that the child support agreement is equitable and that your negotiations take the requirements of your children into account.
An attorney can explain to you how the judicial court system in North Carolina determines child support and what variables the courts may take into consideration. For instance, if you are self-employed, the court may estimate your income based on the money you have earned in the past, or the amount of money you have the potential to earn. An attorney can assist in explaining how this works and ensuring that any talks appropriately represent your requirements.
In North Carolina, who is responsible for paying child support?
In most cases, the parent who doesn’t have primary physical custody of the kid is the one who is liable for paying child support. A parent is considered to have primary custody of their child if they are the one with whom the youngster spends the most of their time.
However, the court may order the parent who has custody to pay child support to the non-custodial parent in certain situations. When this happens, the parent who has custody of the kid usually earns a lot more money than the other parent. Talking to a lawyer that focuses on family law might help you understand how the child support system works in your case and what to expect next.
What Options do I Have if the Other Parent Refuses to Pay Child Support?
You can take action legally in the event that the other parent falls behind on child support payments in order to enforce the child support agreement. Your attorney specializing in family law is your best resource for getting back on track with your child support payments. North Carolina Child Support Services, on the other hand, is a state-run organization that offers services. Among the services provided by the state are:
- Discovering the whereabouts of the other parent.
- Paternity testing and determination.
- Establishment of child support orders, as well as modifications to existing ones.
- Enforcement of decrees requiring child support payments.
The Collection and Processing of Payments for Child Support
You can get assistance from the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) of North Carolina in your efforts to collect child support payments that are owed to you by the other parent. You might be able to take legal action to recover child support with the assistance of a lawyer who specializes in family law. In certain circumstances, you and your attorney will need to collaborate in order to initiate a legal action for contempt of court against the other parent.
How exactly can a lawyer help me with my child support case?
During the process of your separation and divorce, a child support attorney can assist you in negotiating the best possible outcome. They will be able to explain to you how a court would calculate child support and what criteria will be taken into consideration in the process. Your lawyer should be able to give you a ballpark figure for how much child support you can expect to receive.
They will also be able to help you in negotiating a child support agreement with the other parent that is appropriate for the requirements of your children. It makes the most sense to consult with your attorney about family law issues before the divorce is finalized. The necessary separation period in North Carolina is typically the best time to reach an agreement regarding the financial requirements of child support.
If you and your husband are able to reach an agreement that is fair to all parties, the court will be able to better comprehend your position when it comes time to formalize the divorce settlements. If both parties cannot come to an agreement for child support in advance, a judge will likely issue a ruling that may be difficult to amend in the future.
If, at any point, the other parent falls behind on child support payments, a lawyer will be able to assist you in initiating legal action, in order to enforce the child support order. You should consider having a conversation with a child support lawyer to find out more about the ways in which they can assist you in your particular case.
The future of your child and your relationship with your child are extremely important to you, and our Greensboro, NC child custody attorneys recognize this. If you and your spouse are unable to come to an agreement over child custody, our Greensboro attorneys will work with you to determine your legal options. To learn more about child custody cases click here: https://www.garrettandwalker.com/family-law-attorneys/greensboro-child-custody-attorney/