Child Support 

If you have children and are separated , child support is one of the most critical issues you need to discuss with your ex-spouse. As a rule of thumb, your children’s well-being should always come first, whether you are the spouse seeking the divorce or being divorced. But the truth is child support is a complex area of family law. This is why you need the help of an experienced child support lawyer.

​

Parents can either agree on the amount of child support to be paid or ask a court to decide what amount of child support is appropriate. The court uses the relevant Federal Child Support Guidelines, and considers the parents’ financial situation in order to determine child support payments.

 

In order to determine the amount of support that should be payable every month to the custodial parent, the guidelines will take into account the non-custodial parents’ income and the number of children. Parents may also have to contribute toward certain expenses in addition to the base amount of support required by the CSG. These are called “special” or “extraordinary” expenses and each parent typically contributes to these expenses in proportion to their income.

 

Examples of such additional expenses include:

• medical and dental insurance premiums for the child;

• health-related expenses for the child, such as orthodontics, prescription drugs, or therapy;

• the cost of school or educational programs to meet the child’s particular needs;

• expenses for post-secondary education for the child; and

• the child’s extracurricular activities, such as sports or music lessons.

​

Contact Ali Family Law to learn how an experienced family law lawyer can ensure the best possible support arrangement for your children. 

​