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Columbus Child Support Lawyer

Columbus Child Support LawyerIf you’re dealing with child support matters in Columbus, OH, our team at Atkins And Atkins, Attorneys At Law, LLC are here to help. Whether you pay child support or receive child support, you deserve to be treated fairly. An experienced Columbus child support lawyer can help with the complex family law issues you’re facing. We have years of experience advocating on behalf of clients like you.

To learn more about how we can help with your case, contact our law offices in Columbus, Ohio, at (614) 485-8248 to schedule a free consultation today. We’ll do everything we can to help your family reach a fair solution.

How Can Atkins And Atkins, Attorneys At Law, LLC Help With My Child Support Case in Columbus, OH?How Can Atkins And Atkins, Attorneys At Law, LLC Help With My Child Support Case in Columbus, OH?

Child support proceedings can be frustrating even under the best circumstances. Even parents who want to support their children fully often disagree over their child support obligations. To reach the best possible outcome, it’s critical to hire an experienced Columbus family lawyer.

When you trust Atkins And Atkins, Attorneys At Law, LLC, to handle your legal representation, we will:

  • Ensure you understand all of your legal rights and options
  • Provide support at every stage of the legal process
  • Compile critical documents and evidence
  • Facilitate mediation and negotiations
  • Calculate the proper amount of child support in your case
  • Represent you at all hearings and before the family law judge
  • Help you obtain critical evidence from your child’s other parent
  • Help you obtain a child support modification if necessary

Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Columbus family law attorneys if you have questions about child support matters. We’re always available to discuss your case, and we offer free case reviews so you can get the legal advice you deserve.

Overview of Ohio’s Child Support Laws

As in all other states, parents in Ohio are obligated to provide financial support to their children. While both parents share the obligation to support a child, one parent is often ordered to pay child support after a divorce.

While many different types of arrangements exist, it’s most common for a non-custodial parent to pay child support to the parent with primary physical custody.

Understanding the Duration of a Parent’s Child Support Obligations in Columbus

Most parents in Columbus are obligated to pay child support until the child reaches age 18. However, under Ohio law, child support obligations also terminate when:

  • The child gets married
  • The child becomes emancipated
  • The child enlists in the military
  • The child dies
  • The child is adopted by another party
  • The child is 18 and no longer attending high school
  • One of the parties is a grandparent, and there is a change in status involving the child or the child’s parent

Courts can also order that child support obligations extend beyond the child’s 18th birthday. For example, if the child suffers from a disability that renders continued support appropriate, the parent may be ordered to continue payment. If the child is 19 and still in high school, courts can similarly extend child support obligations.

How Is Child Support Calculated in Ohio?

Child support in Ohio is determined based upon a specific child support schedule. The amount of child support a parent must pay is based on their income and the number of children they support. That includes children from another relationship. The formula also takes child custody and visitation.

Additional factors that the family courts in Ohio consider include:

  • Social Security benefits on behalf of either parent
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
  • If either parent pays for the child’s health insurance
  • Either parent’s child care expenses that are necessary to allow the parent to work or obtain employment training

Typically, the parent receiving the child support will be required to cover the child’s health insurance expenses under Ohio law. However, that’s not always the case.

If the paying parent already has reasonable health coverage in place for the child, they may be required to maintain that insurance. Similarly, if the paying parent can obtain reasonably priced health insurance via an employer, they may be required to purchase that insurance. Both parents typically share an obligation to cover the child’s medical costs that are not covered by private insurance.

What Types of Information Are Relevant When the Court is Determining the Correct Amount of Child Support?

Parents in Ohio are required to provide certain documentation to the court so that the family law judge can calculate the correct amount of child support. Those documents generally include

  • Federal income tax returns for the prior year
  • Pay stubs
  • Any other records providing evidence of wages, compensation, or other income for the prior six months
  • Information about group health coverage available to the parent
  • Information about the parent’s current health insurance coverage

When both parties are honest and forthcoming, determining child support in Ohio is relatively straightforward. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It’s possible that our attorneys may have to obtain a court order to obtain information about your co-parent’s finances.

If you’re concerned over the level of child support payments the court may order, contact us today. We can start working today to ensure your family is treated fairly.

Can the Family Law Judge Deviate From the Ohio Child Support Guidelines?

Family courts in Ohio do have some room to deviate from the standard guidelines. Factors to consider when determining whether a different payment obligation is warranted include:

  • Any special needs of the child
  • Other court-ordered payments the parent is required to make
  • Extended parenting time
  • Extraordinary costs associated with parenting time, including travel costs
  • The child’s financial resources and earning capacity
  • The relative financial assets of each parent
  • Disparity in the parents’ income levels
  • The needs of the parents
  • Benefits either parent receives from remarriage or sharing living expenses with a cohabitant
  • Expenses either parent pays for things like the child’s schooling, extracurricular activities, clothing, etc.
  • Each parent’s tax obligations
  • Each parent’s standard of living and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed but for the divorce
  • The child’s educational opportunities
  • Post-secondary school expenses covered by either parent

In other words, it’s important to have an experienced Columbus child support attorney review the details. Whether you’re obligated to make payments or are concerned about the amount you are receiving, our attorneys know how to help. Contact Atkins And Atkins, Attorneys At Law, LLC, to learn more about how our attorneys can help your family.

How Are Child Support Payments Made in Ohio?

Parents in Ohio have several options for making payments, including:

Parents who are obligated to make child support payments can pay via personal check, credit, or debit card.

What Happens If Circumstances Change and I Need to Modify a Child Support Order in Ohio?

Under Ohio law, it’s possible for a parent to request an administrative review of an existing child support arrangement after 36 months have passed. If it’s been less than 36 months, you may be able to have your circumstances reviewed based on specified changes in circumstances.

Typically, changes in circumstances that can warrant a modification of a child support order include situations where:

  • One parent has lost their job or experienced a significant reduction in income
  • One parent has experienced a financial windfall
  • The child’s needs have changed in a substantial way
  • One parent has remarried

It’s also possible that a parent’s existing child support obligations can be reduced if that parent has additional children after the order was issued.

What Can I Do If My Child’s Other Parent Fails to Make Child Support Payments?

It can be incredibly frustrating if your child’s other parent fails to satisfy their child support obligations. Fortunately, courts in the state of Ohio take these situations seriously. They have a number of options to enforce your co-parent’s child support obligations, including:

  • Garnishing their wages
  • Suspending their driver’s licenses
  • Garnishing Social Security disability or retirement benefits (SSI benefits are not subject to garnishment)
  • Taking any bonus or lump sum payment in excess of $150
  • Ordering your co-parent to seek work if they’re able to work but not currently employed
  • Garnishing bank accounts and seizing assets
  • Seizing tax refunds
  • Placing a lien on their property
  • Reporting the delinquency to credit agencies
  • Suspending their passport
  • Issuing a warrant for their arrest
  • Filing for contempt of court, which could lead to jail time

Parents who default on their child support obligations will receive notice of the default. That doesn’t always mean they’ll pay. If you need help enforcing an existing child support order, call our child support lawyers in Columbus, Ohio, today. We have the experience and resources to help.

Contact an Experienced Columbus Child Support Lawyer to Arrange a Case Review

Child support matters can be incredibly complicated. Our Columbus child support lawyers at Atkins And Atkins, Attorneys At Law, LLC, can help your family resolve these sensitive issues. Contact us today to arrange a free case review and learn more.

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