5 Important Questions to Ask Your Child Support Attorney

Divorce is a period where both parties are vulnerable. You get into a situation you don’t understand, face the pity and questions of your loved ones, and you become drained financially. When the whole divorce tide settles, the next thing on top of your mind is dealing with child custody and support issues. It’s often an overwhelming time for most parents, especially if their partners are uncooperative on child support matters. Therefore, it’s necessary to talk to an attorney to protect your child’s rights. If you just started your petition for child support, you must be anxious and unsure of what to expect through the process. Asking your attorney the following questions helps you understand the child support case better and know what to expect.

How Can I Change the Child Support Order?

You can ask your child support attorney if you can increase or decrease the child support and how you can make these changes. The attorney should guide you through the process of changing the child support and advise accordingly. However, the parent requesting an increase in child support must prove that the child’s needs have changed, necessitating additional financial support. Also, your attorney will advise you to provide evidence that the change wasn’t occurring at the time of the first child support order.

How is Child Support Decided?

Ask your attorney what the court usually considers in a child support case. Your attorney should break down the factors because that’s what the judge uses to decide in favor of the child’s best interest. Also, knowing these factors can help you to prepare adequately to win the child support case. Some of the considerations that a judge might use in a child support lawsuit might include the emotional needs of a child, the number of children each parent supports, and the increasing developmental needs of a child. The judge might also consider the health status of each parent and both parents’ income to determine the right amount based on the child’s needs. Your attorney will assist you in navigating through the terrain and design a parenting plan with the child.

What Is Child Support Supposed to Cover?

It’s necessary to ask your attorney what the child support covers. Child support is designed to cover a child’s expenses and provide their basic living necessities like education, food, clothing, and shelter. Child support also covers any medical treatment expenses and reasonable recreation. Your attorney will also let you know that child support doesn’t cover luxury items. Also, child support caters to the living expenses of the custodial parent, but your attorney can tell you how much of such expenses it covers. If you have a valid child support agreement with your attorney or the court has ordered it, then it becomes legally enforceable.

Can I handle a Child Support Case By Myself?

Some states allow you to handle child support issues without any professional help. However, it’s best to hire a child support lawyer for your case. Besides, the non-custodial parent will have an attorney to represent them in court or during mediation, so failure to have one might be disadvantageous. It’s best to have an attorney help you through the entire process, which can sometimes get complicated, especially if the other parent is adamant about supporting the child. Also, having a child support lawyer allows you to ask questions and get legal advice like collecting child support and the right amount.

Do You Have to Go to Court?

Another question you need to ask your child support lawyer is other available approaches to handling child support cases. Some states require parents to have negotiations or mediations before proceeding with a child support case. Sometimes an attorney can help solve significant disagreements and agree on major decisions about child support, while other times, the court has to intervene. You can inquire from the attorney about how your state’s jurisdiction approaches child support cases and get advice on how best to handle your case with the child’s well-being at heart.

Though this can be a stressful time, it’s important to make sure you do your research and ask your prospective attorney these important questions. Your child support attorney should inform you of everything that you need to know as well as provide you with support during this period. Your attorney can also prepare the necessary documents for a child support lawsuit. Remember being informed and knowledgeable is the best way to be prepared. Hiring an attorney to represent you in court or during negotiations with the other parent is your best option in getting the child support you need.