Riverside Child Support Lawyer
Under California law, every child has the right to receive financial support from both of his or her parents. This is true even in situations where one parent has no physical contact with the child. Despite this basic rule, however, many complicated legal situations can arise related to child support in Riverside, CA.
If you are seeking support for your child or are concerned about what your support obligation is likely to be, it is prudent to get help from an experienced Riverside child support attorney. A lawyer at Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP can help to get support orders modified in cases where an existing court order is no longer mandating an appropriate support payment.
Child Support Laws in California
To ensure every child has adequate support, there is a standard formula used in California to determine how much a parent will be required to pay. The California Department of Child Support Services has a calculator that parents can use to estimate a support obligation under the standard formula. This calculator takes into account:
- The income of each parent
- Required expenses including support obligations for other children; mandated contributions to a retirement plan; housing and insurance costs
- The number of children
- The special needs of each child
- The amount of time that each parent is to spend with the child
It is important to understand what amount of support would be appropriate based on this standard form calculator, as this information can be helpful when negotiating a support agreement.
Whether you are seeking child support for your kids or are concerned that you cannot pay the ordered amount, our firm can provide you with guidance on your options. We can represent you in dealing with the other parent, the California Department of Child Support Services, and the courts. Call today to get answers to questions including:
- How is child support determined in Riverside County?
- What if I need to modify an existing support order?
- How can a Riverside County child support attorney help me?
How is Child Support Determined in Riverside County?
In Riverside County and throughout California, there is a standard formula used to determine what a non-custodial parent must pay to support a child or children. The formula takes many different factors into account including:
- Combined and individual parent income
- The number of shared children
- Other necessary expenses like support for other children or required union dues
- The amount of time kids spend under the care of each parent.
A calculator is available from the California Department of Child Support Services to help you estimate the amount of support that should be required in your situation.
Since the calculations can be complicated depending on the special needs of a child, it is a good idea to get proper legal advice rather than trying to calculate support on your own.
What if You Need to Modify an Existing Support Order?
You must abide by your child support order to avoid serious legal consequences; however, your custody arrangement or financial situation may change. When this happens, there is a legal process you must fulfill to modify the support order.
Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP can provide legal assistance through the support order modification process. You cannot stop the support payments until you get the order changed, so do not hesitate to reach out to one of our lawyers as soon as your circumstances necessitate a modification in support that is due.
How Can a Riverside Child Support Attorney Help?
When it comes to your children’s financial needs and your own monetary security, you need to make sure you have legal advice from skilled attorneys who care. Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP is here to help clients in Riverside County and surrounding areas.
How a Riverside Child Support Attorney Can Help
Using the calculator to assess a support obligation can give you an idea of where you stand, but you also need a knowledgeable Riverside child support attorney to help you protect your rights. Your attorney can help you:
- Go to court to get an order mandating the other parent pay support. With a court order, child support money is usually withdrawn automatically from the paying parent’s payroll. A parent who refuses to pay court-ordered child support can also lose his or her driver’s license and professional licenses and can face other penalties, including jail time.
- Negotiate a support agreement (either as part of a larger custody/divorce agreement or a standalone agreement)
- Convince the court that deviation from the standard child support formula is appropriate given the special circumstances of your situation
- Help you to petition the court for changes to an existing support order if your situation has changed
At Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP, our experienced Riverside child support lawyers have helped clients with these and many other issues. We can put our legal experience to work to ensure that you get a fair support order that makes sense for your family’s situation.
Child support is an important issue and you need to ensure you have a knowledgeable and experienced legal advocate protecting your child’s interests, protecting your finances and making sure your legal rights are respected. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
