Angela Faye Brown & Associates, PLLC

Your Child’s Best Interests Are Our Main Focus

Missouri City Child Support Lawyer

The law dictates that both parents must financially provide for their child. In situations where two parents are divorced, this financial assistance typically comes in the form of child support. As there are many factors that determine the amount of support an obligor must pay, these situations can become complex.

Child support can be an extremely sensitive topic and can be overwhelming for any parent to handle alone. Still, it is crucial to the overall well-being of your child, and should be taken care of by our caring family attorneys. Our Missouri City child support lawyers could help you if are a parent trying to protect the financial well-being of your child. We could help you fight for fair support payments or obtain the financial support that is owed to you.

Who Pays Child Support?

Children whose parents are not together will often spend more time with one parent than with the other. The parent with the most time with the children is typically the one who has physical custody. In these situations, the noncustodial parent will likely be required to pay child support to the custodial parent to help provide for the child’s day-to-day, some situations may warrant a different child support agreement.

For example, there may be some situations where one parent must pay child support even if this person does not have custody or visitation with their child. This may occur in situations where a mother establishes the paternity of her child and then requests child support from the father, even if he does not want to be involved in raising them.

The obligation to pay support will last until the child is eighteen or graduates from high school, whichever is longer. There are some situations where support payments may extend or cease earlier. Parents should speak to a lawyer in Missouri City about their ability to receive child support or their obligation to pay the other parent.

How Courts Determine Support Amounts For Parents

One of the main factors that courts address when ordering a parent to pay child support is the income for both parties. Gross income for the purpose of these payments will include wages, commissions, salary, tips, bonuses and overtime. If the paying party is on unemployment or workers’ compensation, they must pay support based on that amount as well. The court may also include certain assets as part of a person’s income. For example, if a parent has significant assets in the form of property or accounts but no income, the court may use the existing assets to determine support. The court also considers the number of children that a person is providing support for and set payments as follows:

  • 20% of net income for one child
  • 25% percent of net income for two children
  • 30% of net income for three children
  • 35% of net income for four children
  • 40% of net income for five or more children

One of our experienced attorneys in Missouri City could determine how much child support a parent may be entitled to receive or obligated to pay based on the specifics of their case.

Modifying Child Support Payments

It is vital that parents ordered to pay support meet those payments each month as directed by the court. Failure to pay support can lead to serious legal consequences. Still, the court does recognize that there are times when parents might need to modify the amount of support.

Parents can request that the court modify a child support agreement when there are significant changes to their income, such as a loss of their job or when custody arrangements substantially shift. Speaking to a Missouri City attorney about modifying child support payments could help parents understand their rights regarding financial assistance.

Speak To A Missouri City Child Support Attorney Today

Child support obligations are a vital part of providing for children. As such, our goal is to make sure your child is receiving the financial support they deserve. To learn more about how child support will apply in your case, do not hesitate to reach out to our compassionate team today. Contact our Missouri child support lawyers today by calling our Houston office at 281-975-0307 or our Austin office at 512-572-1207.