Child Support Attorneys in Saraland, AL

No matter why a relationship ends or how the parents feel about each other, the children born to them deserve to be financially supported by both parents. That’s why every state has a rigorous child support system that aims to ensure children have the financial support they need to grow and thrive. Whether you are going through a divorce or simply seeking child support as a single parent, it’s important to understand what you’re entitled to and how to pursue it.

Learn more about your options as a custodial or non-custodial parent in Alabama. To begin the process of pursuing child support or fight for a fair child support order, call Coumanis & York at 251-990-3083.

Alabama’s Child Support Guidelines

Each state has its own process for calculating child support and its own financial guidelines. In Alabama, the process involves combining both parents’ income, determining how much support the child is entitled to at that level and dividing the support between the parents based on their income.

The Schedule of Basic Child Support provided by Alabama legislators makes it easy to calculate a starting point for your child support negotiations. For example, consider a divorced couple with two children. The father earns $3,000 per month and the mother earns $5,000 per month for a total income of $8,000 per month.

Under this schedule, two children are entitled to $1,345 per month in support. The father, who earns 37.5% of the combined income, would pay about $504 per month. The mother, who earns 62.5% of the income, would pay about $841 per month.

However, child support calculations are rarely this cut-and-dry. The actual child support award may be increased or decreased based on who pays the child’s healthcare premiums, extraordinary medical expenses, and childcare expenses. Other factors considered by family judges include:

• The custody arrangement of the parents—if one parent has the children most of the time, the other parent may be ordered to pay more
• Visitation expenses if one parent lives far away and covers travel costs
• College expenses

Ensuring Transparency and Fairness in Saraland, AL Child Support

Ideally, both parents would agree on a fair child support agreement that best supports their children. However, there are some paying parents who try to get out of paying their fair share. They may feel like the other parent is misusing the child support, think that the court is biased against them, or simply want to keep more money in their pocket. This is why, when you’re pursuing child support, it’s crucial to work with an attorney who is dedicated to uncovering the truth.

If your coparent is hiding sources of income or working under the table, you need an attorney who will be able to prove this information in court. Otherwise, you risk losing the child support you rightfully deserve.

Negotiating an Agreement

While you can wait for the court to look at the facts and determine a fair child support order, it is often much faster and better for the coparenting relationship to negotiate your own agreement.

When both parties are willing to work together, their attorneys can get together and discuss the various factors affecting child support. From there, they can negotiate an agreement that meets both parties’ needs and provides for the children.

This is often the better way to go—if you leave it up to the court, you lose all control over the process. No matter what the judge rules, the parties must abide by it. If you and your ex-partner can come to an agreement and the court finds it favorable, they will often sign off on the order.

Modifications to Saraland, AL Child Support

Your initial child support order may not be suitable long-term. A change in employment, adjustments to the custody schedule, or changes in the children’s needs may warrant a change in your child support order. If you plan on seeking a child support modification, you’ll need to demonstrate to the court that there is a material change in circumstances that is substantial and continuing. As a general rule, the court looks for at least a 10% change in circumstances to change the child support order.

How We Can Help

Child support can significantly impact the quality of your child’s life and the experiences they’re allowed to have. To get a fair shot in court and receive the child support you are due, consider hiring an attorney.

Negotiating child support with your coparent may be difficult, especially if there is a significant divide between what you think you’re owed and what they think they should pay. Fighting this battle on your own can weaken the coparenting relationship, making it more difficult to work together for the sake of your children. When you bring in an attorney, this allows you to distance yourself a bit from the process and avoid direct confrontation.

We can also help if your coparent is pushing back against the court order or refusing to pay. In some cases, the paying parent simply refuses to pay their court-ordered child support. This puts them in arrears and leaves you, the custodial parent, straining to make your money last each month. In other cases, the paying parent quits their job and becomes intentionally underemployed to pay less toward child support. In both scenarios, you have options when it comes to recovering what you’re due.

The wellbeing of your children is a serious matter, and you deserve an attorney who takes it just as seriously as you do. At Coumanis & York, we understand how important child support is to your budget and we fight aggressively on behalf of every client. Save yourself some time, energy, and stress—trust us with your child support legal needs.

Reach Out to Coumanis & York Today

Whether you’re seeking an initial child support order, a modification, or you want to hold a non-paying parent accountable, let us help. Schedule a consultation with Coumanis & York now by calling us at 251-990-3083 or reaching out to us online.