Hatfield Child Support Lawyers
Results-Oriented Family Lawyers in Hatfield Fight for Fair Treatment for Clients Under Pennsylvania’s Child Support Law
Child support is the financial obligation imposed upon a parent in order to provide for the child’s needs—reflecting the idea that parents have a duty to care for their children regardless of where those children reside. In Hatfield, Pennsylvania, every parent is legally required to financially support his or her children until the child reaches age 18 and graduates from high school. Although most lawyers and the courts use a fairly formulaic approach to determining each parent’s child support obligations, in reality, these cases are far from simple. Child support cases frequently present complications that can make the calculation much more difficult.
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Our skilled child support lawyers in Hatfield know how important it is to ensure that your children are adequately supported, and we make sure that all of our clients are treated fairly under state child support laws. Child support is a serious obligation in Pennsylvania, and you need a lawyer with the experience necessary to advocate on your behalf for fair treatment in arriving at each parent’s child support obligations. If you are having problems enforcing an existing child support order, or have fallen behind in your payments, our Hatfield-area lawyers are also here to help fight for your rights.
Calculating Child Support Obligations
Child support obligations in Hatfield are based upon far more than each parent’s income—although income does play an important role. Pennsylvania courts use a multi-faceted system to calculate child support, which considers:
- The income of each parent from all sources,
- The relative earning capacity of each parent,
- The parents’ custody arrangement,
- The number of children involved,
- The level of expenses at issue, including medical expenses, tuition costs, child care expenses, the cost of sports and activities if reasonable,
- Any special needs of the child,
- The child’s standard of living prior to the parents’ divorce, if applicable.
Get Advice From An Experienced Hatfield, PA Child Support Attorney. All You Have To Do Is Call 215-822-7575 To Receive Your Free Case Evaluation.
Support obligations generally vary based upon the custody arrangement reached by the parents, and the child support award to one parent will generally be reduced if the other parent also has significantly shared custody.
Skilled Family Lawyers in Hatfield, PA Provide Comprehensive Legal Representation in All Child Support Matters
At Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford P.C., we have the experience necessary to understand that determining an initial child support obligation is only one aspect of the equation—and even that first step can be extremely complicated. We help our clients in Hatfield through all facets of the child support process and handle issues such as:
- Complications posed by determining the income available to self-employed parents,
- Modifications of existing child support orders to reflect changes in circumstances,
- Enforcement of existing child support orders,
- Obstacles created by parents to reduce child support obligations, such as hiding assets or income,
- Paternity questions, remembering that child support obligations extend to parents who have never married.
Importantly, “income” for child support purposes is different than the parent’s taxable income and may be increased by items such as retirement account contributions and income that is not necessarily subject to taxation. A parent who is earning significantly less than he or she should be capable of earning under the circumstances may face a child support obligation that assigns great weight to earn capacity, rather than actual income levels.
Our child support attorneys in Hatfield, PA can help you work through whatever complications may arise in your particular child support case, and will advocate for the rights of you and your children throughout the entire process.
Contact Our Experienced Child Support Attorneys in Hatfield to Discuss Your Child Support Questions Today
Our experienced family lawyers can help you understand your child support obligations if you are a parent in the Hatfield area, and can also help you enforce an existing child support obligation if your child’s parent has not been satisfying his or her legal duties. Call our Hatfield child support attorneys today, or send us a confidential email, to set up a free initial consultation to discuss your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Support Requirements
Yes. Under Pennsylvania law, parents who are subject to existing child support arrangements have a legal duty that requires reporting of increases in income levels. We can help locate the evidence necessary to establish that your former spouse’s income has increased (if he or she is attempting to conceal the increase) and petition for modification of your existing child support arrangement. This modification may also include retroactive modification, so you may receive payments reflecting the increase in your former spouse’s child support obligations retroactive to the date when his or her income actually increased.
Child support obligations are taken extremely seriously in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S. generally. We can explore possible options available to have a parent’s wages attached (which could include unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation benefits, intercepting federal or state tax refunds and reporting to credit bureaus.) Pennsylvania family courts even have the authority to suspend the driver’s’ license of a parent who owes at least three months’ worth of back child support and can impose fines and jail time, as well.
