Fulton Child Support
Fulton Child Support Lawyers
Holding parents accountable to pay for their child’s needs and happiness
Children deserve to have the maximum amount of financial support the law allows. Parents must provide for their children’s shelter, meals and clothing. Children also have a right to funds for their education and other essential needs. Children have the right to live in the same style and manner as their parents do.
At McCabe Russell, PA, our Fulton child support attorneys put children first. We examine all the assets a co-parent has, including hidden assets and business interests. We work with financial professionals to determine all the income the other parent has. Our lawyers are experienced litigators who cross-examine your former partner to disclose how much they can really afford to pay for the children.
How is child support calculated?
Maryland uses guidelines to determine how much a co-parent should pay for child support. The key step is to determine how much money each parent is earning or could reasonably earn. For salaried employees, this number may be easier to find. For freelance employees and those who own a business, it can become more complicated. In addition to hiring financial experts where necessary, we usually examine tax returns and may subpoena additional financial records.
Other child support guideline steps include:
- Adding up the incomes (real or imputed)
- Considering additional obligations, such as healthcare insurance, the costs of day care and expenses for children with special needs
- Determining the number of children that need support
- Analyzing the child custody arrangements in sole and joint physical custody cases
- Reviewing any alimony payments or support payments due prior spouses or prior children
The Maryland child support guidelines are a grid that looks at the income of the parents and factors in the additional obligations, and then calculates a support amount for each child pursuant to the applicable Maryland statutes. The guidelines recommend regular payments, such as weekly, biweekly or monthly. Parents cannot negotiate away their obligation to financially support their children.
Our lawyers may be able to argue that there are deviations from the guidelines. For example, guidelines do not necessarily apply when the parents make over $15,000 a month. Also, a parent with a disability may justifiably not be able to work.
The support order can also mandate that children be named as beneficiaries of health and life insurance policies, and that parents must pay for traveling expenses to visit or be with the other parent.
Can child support orders be modified in Maryland?
It’s important to get the child support order correct the first time. Orders can only be modified if there is a significant change in circumstance. Some changes the court will consider are:
- The loss of a job or getting more income in a job
- The health of a parent worsens or improves
- The needs of the child change
How can child support orders be modified?
Child support orders are enforceable by the court in Howard County. Parents who chronically fail to pay the support order can eventually be forced to spend time in jail until they arrange to pay the order.
The duty to support a child normally ends at age 18 or when the child graduates from high school, or if a child marries, joins the military or can support themselves.
Types of Cases We Handle
Our Fulton family law attorneys handle a variety of cases, including:
Protect your children by hiring skilled Maple Lawn and Fulton child support lawyers
Know your rights. Be sure your spouse’s income is being reported accurately. At McCabe Russell, PA, our team knows that it can be a challenging world, and your child needs every advantage possible. We demand that co-parents pay their just share of child support. To get the right support order for your child, to request proper modifications, and to enforce payment by parents who are in arrears, please phone us at 443-812-1435 or complete our contact form.
Fulton Office
8171 Maple Lawn Blvd
Suite 350
Fulton, Maryland 20759
Phone: (443) 812-1435