Child Support Lawyer Tampa, FL
When you are divorcing your spouse, or have already done so, and have to arrange for child custody or support, it is advisable to retain a child support lawyer Tampa, FL parents trust for legal advocacy. By doing so, you can ensure the rights of you and your child are protected.
An Overview of Child Support and Child Custody
When you are going through divorce proceedings and you have children, one of the most important aspects of the divorce is deciding what is best for the children. Who gets custody of them? How often do both parents get to see them? Who pays child support and how does a court decide how much to pay? There are many questions that come up, and a family law attorney from The McKinney Law Group can help shed more light on what goes into determining child custody and child support during a divorce. This is already an incredibly stressful time for your family and we want to ensure you are armed with the information you need to make informed decisions and do what’s best for your children. To set up a consultation with a child support lawyer Tampa, FL knows and trusts, please call our office today.
The McKinney Law Group: A Family Law Firm With Decades of Experience
An experienced child support lawyer Tampa, FL residents trust understands that child support can be one of the most contentious family law issues that parents have to address. The McKinney Law Group has successfully represented many clients who were having legal issues surrounding child support, including both clients who were receiving support and paying support.
What is child support?
Child support is also another important factor in divorce proceedings. When one parent is taking on a majority of the responsibility of the physical custody of the children and asks for child support, a judge will then ask for financial statements to determine how much the other parent can reasonably pay and how much the parent with physical custody needs to take care of the children.
Who Is Required to Pay Child Support?
A seasoned child support lawyer Tampa, FL parents depend on knows that under Florida law, every parent is obligated to provide financial support for their child, whether the child lives in the same home or not. Typically, the parent who receives the support — referred to as the obligee — is the custodial parent. The obligor — the non-custodial parent — is ordered by the court to pay a certain amount of money to the obligee.
The court will set the amount of child support based on the net incomes of both the non-custodial parent and custodial parent. Other factors include the number of nights the child is with each parent, the cost of daycare, and the cost of medical insurance. Once the order is in place, it is under the oversight of the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR). Depending on what the court rules, the obligor parent will either pay the obligee directly or will pay the DOR, which will then send the support to the obligee. It is common for the amount of child support to be automatically deducted from the obligor’s paycheck and sent to the DOR directly.
Child Support Issues
A child support lawyer Tampa, FL clients recommend knows that there are several reasons why a client may need his or her services, even after the child support order is issued. One common issue is the need for a child support modification — either an increase or decrease — because circumstances have changed.
Another common situation is when the obligor becomes behind in their payments or refuses to pay. Remedies that the court makes available for nonpayment of support include a jail sentence, suspension of driver’s license, suspension of vehicle registration, suspension of business, occupational, or recreational licenses, tax refund or lottery winnings interception, and bank account seizure.
How Are Custody Issues Decided?
When you and your spouse are getting a divorce, the custody of your children will be decided at court during the divorce process. While a judge makes the final decision on who has custody of your children and how much one spouse might pay for child support, if you and your spouse agree to terms outside of court that you are both comfortable with, a judge may welcome an amicable decision.
If you are fighting for custody of your children or if you would like to learn more about paying or receiving child support, please reach out to a child support lawyer Tampa, FL has to offer at The McKinney Law Group now.
Types of Child Custody
When determining custody of the children, a judge will focus on the legal and physical custody.
- Legal Custody. When a judge grants one of the parent’s legal custody, it means that the parent has the responsibility to make life decisions for their child that may affect aspects like their religious upbringing, where they go to school, and what type of healthcare they have. It is possible that when a judge awards this, they will grant sole legal custody or joint legal custody. As their names imply, when one parent is granted sole legal custody, it is their responsibility alone to make these decisions. With joint legal custody, both parents can make legal decisions like this for their children.
- Physical Custody. A judge will award physical custody to one or both of the parents. This means that this is where the children spend actual physical time with the parents, and a judge can award primary, sole, or joint physical custody. With primary custody, one parent will have the children for 60% or more of the time. With sole physical custody, one parent has the children 100% of the time. With joint physical custody, each parent shares the physical time with kids equally.
A child support lawyer Tampa, Florida families prefer can assist you with your child support and child custody needs. He or she can furthermore help with any disputes or arguments that arise during or after your divorce.
Let a Child Support Lawyer Tampa, FL Provides Help
If you need the services of a skilled child support lawyer in Tampa FL, call the legal team at The McKinney Law Group. Attorney Damien McKinney has focused on family law for more than a decade and has been named a rising star by Super Lawyers every year since 2012. Last year, Attorney McKinney was awarded the Super Lawyers Distinction of Excellence — an honor given to only 5% of the lawyers in the entire state of Florida. He has also built a substantial reputation for being a skilled Tampa child support lawyer who aggressively fights for his clients.
If you’re struggling with your current child support status, a lawyer may be able to help. Contact a dedicated child support lawyer Tampa, FL clients depend on at 813-906-0048 to set an appointment to discuss what your legal options may be.
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