Rockville Child Support Lawyer
Raising a child is expensive, even when both parents are chipping in. When one parent provides for all the child’s needs without help from the other, the situation can be even more challenging. Every child has a right to receive financial support from both parents.
A Rockville child support lawyer can determine the amount you should be receiving from your ex each month and present an enforceable agreement to the court on your behalf. Alternatively, a family law attorney at our firm can help you take the necessary steps to make changes to an existing court order if your child support obligations are no longer feasible.
Initiating Child Support Payments
Parents have the option of negotiating an appropriate child support amount on their own before going to court. If parents cannot agree, however, either party may petition the court to determine child support for them. One of our local lawyers can offer more insight on what to consider when determining a parent’s child support obligations and initiate legal action on your behalf if necessary.
Calculating a Parent’s Support Obligations
In Rockville cases, the state’s Child Support Guidelines determine the amount a non-custodial parent must pay to the custodial parent to help cover child-raising costs. This child support payment formula accounts for many factors, including:
- The total gross income of both parents
- Whether either parent is receiving alimony from the other
- Whether either parent owes financial support to another child
- The number of children in the household entitled to financial support
- The cost of health insurance for the child
- Daycare expenses for the child
- The child’s extraordinary medical expenses
An attorney can apply all relevant factors in your case to ensure that the support obligations established by the state’s guidelines meet your child’s needs.
Determining a Parent’s Income
In some cases, each parent’s income is straightforward and determined by the amount reflected on the annual IRS W-2 form. However, determining a parent’s income may be more complicated when they are self-employed, have multiple sources of income such as state, pension, or disability benefits, or have investments generating additional revenue. It is imperative to identify both parents’ total income and calculate child support accurately. A skilled Rockville attorney can help locate all sources of income that could impact the amount of child support owed to either parent.
Collecting Child Support in Rockville
The parent entitled to receive child support, known as the payee, can accept child support payments from the other parent, referred to as the payor, in several different ways.
Direct Payment
The payor may send payments directly to the payee each month. This method is efficient and gets the support to the payee as quickly as possible. However, problems can arise when the payor does not send a payment or is consistently late.
Wage Garnishment
Securing a wage garnishment is another way to collect child support in our area. A garnishment directs the payor’s employer to deduct child support from their wages and send payments directly to the payee on behalf of the payor. A wage garnishment often reduces instances of non-payment but can be problematic if the payor loses their job or changes jobs, as there may be a delay in entering another wage garnishment with their new employer.
The Office of Child Support Enforcement
Child support payments may be made payable to a local Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), which keeps records of payments and forwards them to the payee. OCSE will take action to collect child support from a parent who fails to keep up with their financial obligations, relieving the payee of the responsibilities to keep track of payments and initiate action when they are late or missed. A local lawyer who is familiar with child support cases can help determine which payment method is likely to generate the most consistent support in your situation.
Get Help from a Rockville Child Support Attorney
Every child has the right to be financially supported by both parents, regardless of whether they are separated, divorced, or never married. It is imperative that child support is accurately determined pursuant to Maryland law child support guidelines. Whether your child’s other parent is not contributing, the support you are receiving isn’t enough, or you are having difficulty collecting payments, we can help. Call a Rockville child support lawyer today to schedule a consultation.
