Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Does the Child Support Guidelines Apply to Me?

By Jesse McComb


If you are considering looking to meet with a child support lawyer to ask about whether the child support guidelines apply to you, the answer is going to be yes. When a child is involved in a divorce, separation or custody hearing, the issue of support will be addressed. While the dollar amount everyone pays is different, the guidelines that help the courts to rule on a particular amount are always used.

When you are speaking with child support lawyers, you will quickly be advised that this funding is intended to help with the raising of your child. This means that the income of both parents are taken into consideration as is the level of care that the child would typically receive if both parents were raising them in a single residence.

The family attorney or divorce law firm you retain will likely take the guidelines in place to calculate the available income for the child and then break down the amounts between both responsible parties. The individual paying will be responsible for sending monthly support to the other parent or guardian to help with the costs of raising the child.

Keep in mind that the child support guidelines do continue to evolve over time as well. This means that changes to the amount you have to pay are possible. In some cases an increase or a decrease can be obtained by working with your child support lawyer. However, as part of the child support guidelines that are in place, you will need to be sure that you meet the minimum requirements. This can include:

A significant increase in wages for one or both parents.

Job loss by means outside of your control.

Emancipation of one or more children.

The death of a child.

There may be other reasons that can come into play that will allow you to obtain a modification based on these guidelines as well. Because of this, you will want to seek out child support lawyers who can not only assist you during the initial proceedings, but also choose an individual who can help you keep up with the every changing child supports guidelines that are in place.

Keep in mind, when minor children are part of a proceeding these guidelines will apply to you. Make sure that you have a child support lawyer on hand that will ensure that your best interests and the interests of your child are being met as the guidelines are followed according to the laws of British Columbia.




About the Author:



No comments: