Centennial Child Support Lawyer

Experienced Child Support Attorney in Centennial, CO

Supporting a child requires resources throughout their upbringing, and Colorado law mandates that parents share the financial responsibility. When you contact a Centennial child support lawyer to represent you, learning more about child support calculations, modifications, and enforcement can help you better understand the legal process. Colorado sets child support based on guidelines, whether during a divorce or after filing a parentage case to financially support your child.

Get to Know Local Law Firm, Fuller & Ahern, P.C.

Attorney Susan Fuller opened Fuller & Ahern, P.C. in 1997. For over two decades, our law firm has assisted Colorado families with complicated family law issues by offering practical advice and personalized service. Fuller & Ahern, P.C., attorneys collectively boast over 75 years of experience and continue to prioritize client education, realistic expectations, and personal service for each family law case.

Centennial child support cases are handled at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, located at 7325 S. Potomac Street in Centennial. The child support attorneys at Fuller & Ahern, P.C., are familiar with the local judicial circles and have an established positive rapport with court staff and judges. This added benefit of working with our local family law firm allows us to navigate your case with the experience and knowledge gained from decades of past child support cases.

Understanding Colorado Child Support Laws

Whether parents were married or not, Colorado holds each parent responsible for financially supporting their children. Colorado uses the income shares model to estimate the financial resources parents would have provided to the child if they still lived together. Once the court determines the total child support obligation, the parents are individually responsible for child support proportional to their income.

Colorado Revised Statutes § 14-10-115 specifies that judges calculate child support according to statewide guidelines. Judges are bound by guidelines and cannot arbitrarily determine support, but they can exercise discretion for exceptional circumstances. In general, one parent cannot waive their right to child support because children are the ones who benefit from financial support.

How Is Child Support Calculated?

Courts look at each parent’s financial circumstances when determining the amount of child support to order. Parents’ monthly gross income, parenting time, health care costs, childcare costs, and extraordinary medical and education costs are typical considerations. Monthly gross income can include salary or wage income, bonus income, unemployment income, and Social Security income.

If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, then the court may calculate potential income and impute that amount instead of actual income. Potential income is dependent on factors such as educational background, work history, job opportunities, and ability to earn.

Child support guidelines provide worksheets to calculate the proper amount of support. Judges can deviate from the guidelines if applying them would be unjust or inappropriate in some child support cases.

How Is Child Support Established?

Parents can receive a child support order when they divorce, legally separate, work out a parental responsibilities case, or during a parentage case. If the parents were never married when their child was born, then, generally, parentage must be legally established before obtaining a child support order from the court.

After determining parentage, the court may look at each parent’s financial circumstances before entering a child support order that aligns with Colorado’s child support guidelines. Due to the court using financial information to calculate child support, it is vital that parents provide accurate and complete financial disclosures.

Colorado’s marriage rate is 7.8 per 1,000, while its divorce rate is 2.8 per 1,000. Additionally, 24% of all live births were to unmarried moms, emphasizing the importance of proper child support orders. A survey showed that 59% of parents have a child support arrangement, and 79% of those arrangements are court-ordered.

Modifying Child Support Orders

Parents’ financial situations can change after the court enters a child support order, thus warranting a modification. Typically, parents asking for a modification need to prove there has been a substantial, involuntary, and continuing change of circumstances. Some examples of changes that could affect a child support calculation are listed below:

• Increases or decreases in parental incomes.
• Increases or decreases in parenting time.
• Changes to childcare costs.
• Changes to health insurance costs.

Parents must prove there has been a change in circumstances significant enough to change the child support amount.

Enforcing a Child Support Order

When a parent falls behind on child support, there are several ways the order may be enforced. The type of enforcement needed depends on the situation, but options can include income withholding from employers, tax refund interception, license suspensions, and property liens. Colorado typically processes child support payments through the Colorado Family Support Registry, which tracks payment history.

FAQs

Can Child Support Cover Extracurricular Activities?

Yes, child support can cover extracurricular activities. Although the basic child support amount is meant to account for daily living expenses, parents can agree, or a court can order additional amounts for certain extracurricular expenses. Expenses for sports, music lessons, clubs, and other activities can be divided between parents based on the circumstances and what is needed for the child.

What if My Child Has Significant Medical Expenses?

Kids with chronic health issues may incur expenses that go above and beyond normal medical insurance. Courts have the power to distribute uninsured medical bills, therapy costs, specialty treatments, or any other necessary medical expenses. They typically divide these costs between both parents in some way, depending on the case and each parent’s means.

Can Child Support Be Ordered Before a Divorce Is Finalized?

Yes, courts may issue temporary child support orders while a divorce or custody case is proceeding. These temporary orders see that the child’s financial requirements are covered during the legal procedure. Once the matter has been resolved, the court can grant a permanent child support order based on current financial information.

Can Parents Agree to Pay Expenses Instead of Child Support?

Yes, parents may agree to alternative arrangements like paying expenses instead of child support. However, they still have to abide by Colorado law, and the agreement still has to be approved by the court. A judge must feel confident that they are protecting the child’s interests before they approve any alternative terms regarding child support.

Hire a Child Support Lawyer in Centennial

If you are facing a child support case, when you hire a child support lawyer from Fuller & Ahern, P.C., you can get the professional service and quality legal guidance your family deserves. We look at the facts of your case and advocate for what is fair. Contact us for a free consultation and gain insight into your specific case circumstances.