Child Support

Minneapolis Child Support Lawyer

iStock_000010939936SmallWhen children are involved in a divorce or in a case where two parents are no longer together, child support is a way to make sure both parents support their children financially. This helps ensure the well-being of the child.

If you are involved in a case where children are involved and either you will need to receive child support payments for your child or make them to the other parent to support your child, a Minneapolis family lawyer can help you. You will receive the guidance you need to ensure the process runs smoothly and the help you require any time you need child support to be modified.

Ensuring The Child Is Cared For

There are three main components to child support: Basic support payments, child care support, and medical support.

In many cases, the child support payments will continue until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever happens second.

When awarding child support, Minnesota’s guidelines are very specific for calculating the amount. These guidelines take into consideration the income for both parties, the amount of time each parent spends with the child, and the appropriate percentage of money that is needed to raise a child.

If a parent fails to pay child support, parenting time is not affected since it is considered two different issues. While the failure to pay child support can be considered contempt and the court may take action, it is not a legally valid reason for parenting time to be restricted.

Addressing Failure To Pay Child Support Issues

When child support is not paid in a timely manner, the parent not receiving the payments has the right to let the court know. With the help of your St. Paul & Minneapolis family law attorney, you can properly let the court know that the other party is in contempt so that the matter can be properly addressed.

If it is child support modification that you need, that can be done as well. Sometimes circumstances change and that means changes have to be made to child support. For instance, you may pay child support and your hours were cut at work. This may prevent you from being able to pay the same amount of support and still support yourself. There are many scenarios that can occur that may lead to a need to modify support. If you feel that a change in your circumstances warrant child support modification, your family law lawyer can help you request those modifications.

Contact A Minnesota Family Law Attorney

Child support is a very serious matter because it involves ensuring that a child is properly taken care of financially by both parents. If you need to address a child support matter, having the assistance of an experienced attorney can help you take proper action and ensure a smooth process for you. To learn more about the options available to you, call the Gilbert Law Office, PLLC at 612-564-3622 for a free consultation.