One of the most contentious issues in a Texas divorce is child support. It can be expensive to raise a child in the Fort Worth area. In many cases, the parent with physical custody of the child might require an additional monetary payment every month. This is used to meet the needs of their child. As a result, the Texas courts can establish a child support arrangement requiring one parent to make child support payments to the other parent. It is best for parents to agree on child support arrangements. However, if parents cannot agree, they will typically have to go to Texas family law courts. They would engage the help of Fort Worth, TX child support lawyers for representation.
You might want to have a consultation with experienced attorneys at a professional law firm to understand the amount of child support you may receive or may be obligated to pay, and any other child support issues.
If you already have a child support order and your ex-spouse is not paying up, a family law attorney can help you file an enforcement action with the Texas courts. You can also raise any concerns you have about how your ex-spouse is spending their child support.
How Texas Courts Determine Child Support
Legal courts in Fort Worth, TX calculate the amount of child support you need to pay based on a percentage of your expenses and income, after deducting taxes.
You’ll have to prepare documents proving your income and assets. If there is no information available, the assumption will be that your income is equivalent to the federal minimum wage for a 40-hour workweek.
The Texas Family Code states that the non-custodial parent or the paying parent has to pay 20% of their net resources to child support. If you have two children, this goes up to 25%. The percentage goes up further to 30%, 35% and 40% for three children, four children and five children or more respectively. The Fort Worth, TX courts can also order you to pay additional child support to meet your child’s needs if your net resources exceed $7,500.
You have to pay child support until your child turns 18, they are emancipated, or your child joins the military and is on active duty. If someone else adopts your child, your parental rights will be terminated. In such cases, you will not be liable for child support. However, there’s no getting out of meeting your legal obligations. Failure to pay court-ordered child support is subject to enforcement. The consequences range from wage withholding to suspension of your driver’s license.
Sometimes your financial situation can change so you cannot continue meeting your current child support obligations. Professional Fort Worth family law attorneys can help you to file a modification request to the courts.
Choosing Fort Worth Texas Child Support Lawyers
It’s always a good idea to have an initial consultation with the lawyers you’re intending to hire. This can take place over a video conference even if you can’t make a trip to the law firm.
Prepare your documentation so your lawyers can help to do an initial review. Have a few questions to ask your legal attorneys. You’ll want to learn the following:
- The past experience of the attorney with child support issues that are similar to yours
- How familiar your attorney is with the Texas court system and child support laws in Fort Worth, TX
- How your lawyer views the attorney-client relationship
- Your attorney’s initial views of your case and the options available
- Legal fees and expenses of your child support cases
You may also want to assess how comfortable you feel with talking to your attorney about your child support matters, and how well the legal attorney can advocate for your interests.
Experienced Fort Worth Child Support Lawyers
Let the award-winning Fort Worth family law attorneys at Sean Lynch law firm help you prepare your case. We have years of legal experience in Texas family law, serving parents and clients throughout the Fort Worth area and advocating for their child support rights. Contact us today for a no-cost case review.