Cary Child Support Attorney
When parents of underage children divorce in North Carolina, child support will likely be part of the final separation agreement.
Child support is money paid from one spouse to another to house, feed, clothe, educate and ensure the health and well-being of their children. Because of the effect that child support will have on a child’s life, and the financial impact it can have on parents, developing and maintaining a proper child support agreement is one of the most important aspects of a divorce.
Charles R. Ullman & Associates can help Cary and Wake County residents to develop, modify or enforce child support agreements. This starts with providing an initial consultation about your child support problem and how to resolve it. Schedule a meeting today by calling us or submitting our online contact form.
How Child Support is Determined
North Carolina law establishes a divorced parent’s financial obligations through child support payments that must meet the “reasonable needs” of the child and that will depend on the “relative abilities” of the parents to support the child.
A parent with custody of a child who is not yet 18 years old or who is 18 but still in secondary school may seek child support as part of a divorce in North Carolina. Additional agreements – such as to provide for a college education – or certain exceptions may also affect child support payments.
Child support orders are typically obtained through the court as part of a separation, divorce or annulment or by filing a separate civil action. A divorcing couple pursuing mediation may draft an agreement, which is later incorporated into the final court order granting divorce.
The N.C. Child Support Guidelines provide a worksheet and factors for the court to consider in setting child support payments. Primary considerations include:
- Both parents’ incomes and potential incomes, including IRAs and stock options
- The child’s past, present and future expenses, including food, clothing, shelter, daycare, medical, dental and education needs
- Any extraordinary medical expenses the child has
- The family’s current standard of living.
The court may order weekly or monthly payments to be made in cash or through property transfers.
When Child Support Problems Arise
In an amicable divorce, providing for the children involved does not have to be a problem. The child’s past, current and anticipated expenses can be calculated, and an appropriate child support payment can be determined. Even in a contentious divorce, the court can do this work.
But, there are times when either parent – custodial or non-custodial, receiving or paying child support – will need help with a child support agreement.
At Charles R. Ullman & Associates, our child support attorneys can help you:
- Develop a child support agreement – We can help you determine an appropriate payment based on your child’s needs and the non-custodial parent’s abilities. (See our Child Support Calculator for a general estimation of the child support payments you may pay or receive.) Our attorneys can also assist you if you believe your spouse is not accurately representing your child’s needs or his or her ability to provide for your children.
- Enforce a child support agreement – If you have not received court-ordered child support payments from your former spouse, there are legal options open to you. Charles R. Ullman & Associates can help you to file a breach of contract complaint or seek garnishment of the non-custodial parent’s wages. Sometimes, just hearing from a Cary child support attorney motivates a parent to meet his or her obligations.
- Modify a child support agreement – When financial circumstances change, it may be appropriate to modify the original child support agreement. You may be having trouble making payments as they are currently structured because of changes in your employment. Or, after a few years, you may find that the child support payments you receive do not adequately meet your growing children’s needs. Any modification to a child support agreement requires a new court order obtained by demonstrating to a judge that the change you seek is appropriate.
The child support lawyers of Charles R. Ullman & Associates have helped many parents in Cary and elsewhere in Wake County with child support agreements. We can assist and advise you whether you are on the paying or receiving end of financial support for your children. We can represent your interests, as well as your child’s, before a judge.
Contact Our Cary Child Support Agreement Lawyers
If you have concerns about developing an appropriate child support agreement as part of your separation and divorce, the child support lawyers of Charles R. Ullman & Associates can answer your questions. Charles R. Ullman is a board-certified Family Law Specialist, and our entire legal staff is dedicated to providing compassionate and professional legal assistance to clients in Cary and throughout Wake County who are divorcing.
Contact us today by phone or through our online form to set up an initial consultation.
About Charles R. Ullman & Associates
Charles Ullman & Associates provides you respected, experienced and knowledgeable divorce and family law attorneys. You can trust us to help you through the legal process efficiently and effectively so you can transition to the next phase of your life. Our community involvement reaches beyond charitable support of important causes. We launched our own movement in Fraternities4Family and provide scholarships to able students in need.
