Practice Areas
Los Angeles Child Support Attorney
Child custody, support, and visitation issues are often the core of the divorce litigation and settlement. In divorce cases involving family-owned businesses and high-value assets, the equitable distribution of those assets and debts often become very hotly contested. There may be business succession plans, trust distribution issues, education funds, and other support issues that are a necessary part of a fair child custody settlement, as well.
The lawmakers in California believe that every child has the right to be financially supported by both parents if at all possible. An experienced Los Angeles child support attorney can assist you in making sense of the confusion that goes along with child support guidelines, financial affidavits, income withholding orders and more.
Child support in the State of California is determined by California Family Code 4055 – Statewide Uniform Guidelines for Determining Child Support. This formula takes into consideration such things as gross income, payroll deductions, and taxes when determining the amount of child support. However, the formula can be complicated by other factors such as child support to children from a previous marriage, the value of a closely held business, or the value of a high asset estate.
Child support in California follows a “guideline” for figuring out how much child support should be paid. If the parents cannot agree on child support, the judge will decide the child support amount based on the guideline calculation. As state on the California government website, the guideline calculation depends on:
- How much money the parents earn or can earn;
- How much other income each parent receives;
- How many children these parents have together;
- How much time each parent spends with their children (time-share);
- The actual tax filing status of each parent;
- Support of children from other relationships;
- Health insurance expenses;
- Mandatory union dues;
- Mandatory retirement contributions;
- The cost of sharing daycare and uninsured health-care costs.
The child support order may also require the parents to share the costs for:
- Child care to allow the parent to work or to get training or schooling for work skills;
- Children’s reasonable health-care expenses;
- Traveling for visitation from 1 parent to another;
- Children’s educational needs; and
- Other special needs.
There are many opportunities throughout the case where an experienced Los Angeles child support attorney can work to get you and your family the best possible outcome with regard to child support. The Los Angeles child support attorneys at Boyd Law have the experience you need to handle your most complex child custody and child support settlement issues. Our LA family law attorneys understand you needs and will propose and negotiate a parenting plan settlement that is generally amicable and workable for everyone. In the event a satisfactory child custody agreement cannot be reached out of court, we use our experience to protect your rights and the best interest of your family in court.
Once a child support order or agreement is in place, the payment amount may be increased or decreased under certain circumstances. If a parent’s earning ability or a child’s financial needs have changed, that could conceivably be enough to trigger a modification. However, as a general rule, child support obligations do not go away, increase, or decrease, unless one parent or the other initiates action in Court or with the State’s child support agency for modification of child support. If you are having any trouble with an Order of Child Support, or if you need a new Order of Child Support, you need to contact the attorneys at Boyd Law to help you protect your rights.
Whether you are seeking an increase in child support payments, or you need to decrease your child support obligation because of a job loss, disability, or other substantial change in circumstances, we can protect your rights. At Boyd Law, our Los Angeles family law attorneys have extensive experience in cases involving child support and child support modification. Contact our office today at 310-777-0231 for a free consultation.
