Every parent must play a role in their child’s life until that child reaches adulthood. When a child’s parents no longer live together, that role often comes in the form of child support payments. However, the exact process by which courts decide how much child support one parent owes to the other can be complicated in even the most seemingly straightforward situations—and it’s built to prioritize the needs of the child, not necessarily the desires of either parent.
If you want to negotiate for a preferable support order from a Piscataway family court, it is wise to work with a family attorney who knows how to handle matters like this efficiently and in line with state law. Jennifer Marshall, a skilled Piscataway child support lawyer, could negotiate the terms you desire without putting your own best interests or those of your child at risk. Additionally, if your co-parent has fallen behind on payments, she can help you secure the money you and your child are rightfully owed. Contact our firm today to discuss your unique situation with a dedicated legal professional.
Local courts calculate how much child support each parent is expected to provide based mainly on each parent’s yearly income, and how much income each parent makes compared to the other. For example, if two parents have a combined total income of $100,000 a year and they each make $50,000 per year individually, they would each need to pay for 50 percent of the total support their child should receive. If one parent made $30,000 and the other made $70,000, they are expected to pay for 30 percent and 70 percent of the child’s total support.
From there, the court will make adjustments for things like child care, healthcare, and, most importantly, for what amount of time each parent spends with their child. There are different formulas for “sole parenting” situations versus “shared parenting” situations, as a Piscataway child support attorney can explain in more detail during a consultation.
The child support formula outlined above will provide a basic amount of support that the court will expect each parent to provide, with payments usually going from the parent without primary custody to the parent with primary custody. That said, courts have the authority to deviate from the support amount suggested by the standard guidelines based on numerous factors, including:
While the courts will always prioritize the child’s best interests above anything else, our child support attorney serving Piscataway could help negotiate for a more favorable decision by emphasizing certain factors over others.
Unless someone has had their parental rights taken away, they are expected to support their child financially. However, there is a lot you can do as a parent to encourage the court to establish a support order that serves your best interests, especially with help from experienced legal counsel.
Contacting a Piscataway child support lawyer should be your top priority when you need help with any part of child support proceedings. Call our firm today to schedule a consultation with an aggressive legal advocate, Jennifer Marshall.