The health and well being of your child is of the utmost importance to a parent. When Mom and Dad can no longer live together, their child still requires both parents' financial support.
Child support is a court-ordered payment from one parent who does not have custody of the child, to the other parent who does have custody of the child. Child support is based on the idea that both parents are required, by law, to financially support their child to the extent they are financially able. Child support issues can arise both during and after a divorce. Child support issues can also arise when the parents of the child have never been married to each other.
At Edwards Phillip Amourgis, PC, we work tirelessly to protect our clients' best interests and legal rights. Call 301-328-1243, toll free at 877-593-5219 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation.
Child Support Calculations
Child support is determined by many factors, including each of the parent's income, child custody arrangements, educational needs, after-school care, health insurance costs for the child, and more. The Maryland Department of Human Resources has developed an online child support calculator. The calculator estimates the child support based on Maryland guidelines, and is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. There may be other factors not accounted for by the calculator and the result by the calculator does not guarantee the amount of child support a Court would award in your case.
Call 301-328-1243, toll free at 877-593-5219 or contact us online to learn more about your child support matters.
Changing Child Support Payments
Sometimes, after the Court orders the amount of child support to be paid, circumstances can arise such that the child support order needs to be changed. When you have to pay child support but your hours have been significantly cut at work, you have been laid off or you are now disabled and cannot work, you cannot just reduce your child support payments without first getting Court approval. If you try to reduce or stop your payments without first getting Court approval, you may still be liable for any missed and unpaid child support payments. This does not change even if your spouse agrees to a reduced amount.
Failure to pay the court ordered child support can come back against you years down the road. Failure to pay child support can result in your drivers' license being suspended, in a suspension of certain occupational licenses or even in your tax refund being seized. Unpaid child support may also become a lien on your real or personal property.
What if you are receiving child support payments, but believe that you are entitled to receive more child support for your child? The attorneys at Edwards Phillip Amourgis, PC may also help you increase the child support payments you receive.
The attorneys at Edwards Phillip Amourgis, PC help our clients with all aspects of child support, from the initial child support determination to changing their child support payments. We can assist you in reaching a level of child support which you can afford, but which provides for your child's needs. Call 301-328-1243, toll free at 877-593-5219 or contact us online to learn more about your rights in child custody and child support matters.