Union County Child Support Lawyer
By definition, child support prioritizes the best interests of the child or children in question and reflects their parents’ legal obligation to financially support them. Child support could have a significant impact on your personal financial health and a direct impact on your child’s well-being.
As such, child support is one of the most complicated—and often emotionally charged—issues that family law attorneys deal with. If you have concerns and questions related to child support, a Union County child support lawyer could help you understand the basics of how child support works. Let a compassionate family attorney help you make the best decision for you and your family.
Child Support Schedule
While negotiation is an important part of many aspects of the broader divorce process, determining child support is typically more straightforward. Courts in Union County typically follow the state’s child support guidelines set forth in New Jersey Court Rule 5:6A when determining child support awards. Following a divorce, understanding these guidelines and schedules could help a parent or guardian anticipate the financial impact child support could have on them.
In certain circumstances, there may be cause for a court to deviate from this schedule. In such a situation, the court would consider various factors, ranging from the cost of optional recreational expenses to the cost of living for each parent, to determine whether it is proper to modify the payment award. A child support attorney in Union County could provide further guidance about whether such an exception might apply to a specific case.
Modifying an Agreement in Union County
Many life changes could affect an individual’s finances and therefore have a significant impact on their child support obligations or those of their former partner. To account for such changes, New Jersey allows for child support modification in certain circumstances.
As a knowledgeable attorney could explain, a common reason for requesting a modification in child support obligations centers around major financial changes. These changes could include:
- Loss of gainful employment
- Change in a child or children’s medical needs
- Increase or decrease in parent’s income
- Change in residence
- A change in the paying parent’s health
The possibility of modifying a child support agreement does not mean a person could quit their job to avoid paying or receive more in child support, as the court has the discretion to analyze the rationale behind changes in income and factor it into their final discussion. A Union County child support lawyer could work with a family to determine whether financial changes qualify as grounds for modification to child support obligations.
Consult With a Union County Child Support Attorney
Knowing your rights regarding your child and the financial support they need is critical to their future and yours. With so much on the line, it may be equally important to work with a dedicated attorney who could help you prepare for the impact child support obligations may have and could approach issues surrounding child support with confidence.
If you have concerns about child support and how divorce might impact child support obligations in your circumstances, a dedicated Union County child support lawyer could help you navigate through the various processes that determine your obligations or those of your former spouse. Call today to get started on your case.