A Sacramento Child Support Attorney is a family law lawyer that helps individuals with their family matters such as separation, divorce, custody and visitation, restraining orders, adoptions, and child support. This type of legal representation can be crucial to your financial well-being and the well-being of your children. An experienced child support attorney has been dealing with such cases for a long time and is familiar with current laws, court procedures, rules, and how to present a case beneficial to their client’s best interests in front of a judge. They are likely to appear before a family judge regularly and be familiar with staff working in child support services as well.

The Law Department can assist with filing a new child support case, an application to modify an existing order or seeking registration or enforcement of an existing order. The department will also provide the non-custodial parent with an official notice of the court date, which is typically heard before a Support Magistrate in Family Court. Oftentimes, this is the same person that determines the amount of child support to be paid.

Both parents must pay a fair amount of money to help their children meet their basic needs. The courts use a complex formula that includes both parties’ gross incomes, number of children, and the percentage of parenting time each party spends with the children. There are also expenses that need to be taken into consideration such as housing, food, clothing, transportation, childcare and medical costs. A child support lawyer can make sure that all of these factors are taken into account when a judge decides how much child support to award.

Sometimes, life events like job loss or illness can make paying a court-ordered child support difficult. If either parent experiences a significant change in circumstances, it is important to have a good child support lawyer who can petition the court for a modification in the terms of the order. Failing to pay child support can lead to serious legal complications including wage garnishment, the seizure of assets, and even a driver’s license suspension.

A child support modification can be a complicated process because both parents will want to show they have a legitimate reason for the change. A good lawyer in California will help both parents present the strongest case possible to support their position. They will have an understanding of the different factors involved in child support laws, and they will be able to prepare all of the necessary documentation needed for the court. They can also explain how these changes can impact your tax situation.