Child support is one of the areas of family law that evokes a great deal of emotions for individuals. Since it can be directly linked with the amount of time an individual spends with his or her children, it is a very sensitive topic. Additionally, child support creates another financial obligation that can be problematic when a family's finances have been completely divided. If you are embroiled in a custody dispute and need legal advice regarding your child support, I can help.
The Law Office of Mary Ann Harris focuses on the area of family law and serves clients throughout the Houston area. Whether you are concerned about setting child support or modifying child support because of a recent change in income, my experience will help you. I am attorney Mary Ann Harris, and I will work with you directly to understand your situation. My compassion and experience will smoothly guide you through this process.
Calculating Child Support
Individuals come to me concerned about how child support is calculated. In Texas, child support is based on the net resources of the noncustodial parent. That means that the noncustodial parent's income and other factors are taken into account.
There are two basic ways that child support is decided.
- The parties may come to an agreement on child support. While agreement is encouraged, it is important to know that individuals must pay child support unless the parents are sharing the expense of the child (i.e. 50-50 custody).
- If the parties cannot agree, the court may order child support paid along the suggested legal guidelines. If the noncustodial parent's income reaches a certain level, the amount of child support is capped.
Harris County Child Support Modification Lawyer
Child support can be changed if the parent who is paying child support has a "substantial change" in income. The law defines a substantial change as a difference of $100 a month or 20 percent. While this option is available, it has to be used with discretion.
Contact a Houston Child Support Lawyer
If you are an individual who needs assistance with setting or changing child support, or you need someone to help with child support enforcement, my firm can help. Contact me by e-mail or by calling 281-571-8059 today to put my highly skilled legal representation in your corner.
