Pleasanton, TX Child Support Lawyers

Reliable Attorneys Helping Parents Establish Child Support Orders in Pleasanton, Texas

Divorce can affect children in a variety of ways. While parents who separate may be concerned with maintaining a relationship with their child, both parents will also be financially responsible for supporting the child's welfare. The purpose of child support is to ensure that both parents will provide for the child's basic needs, including food, education, housing, clothing, and medical expenses.

At Brandon Wong & Associates, we have years of experience answering our clients' child support questions and assisting with these legal matters. Whether you are involved in an extremely contested divorce or a fierce child custody dispute, our Pleasanton child support lawyers can provide you with the compassionate, diligent legal representation that you and your child need.

What You Need to Know About Child Support in Pleasanton

The Lone Star State calculates basic monthly child support by applying a specific percentage to the income and financial resources of the parent who will be paying support. The obligations begin at 20 percent for one child and increase incrementally by five percent per child, capping out at 40 percent for five or more children. A parent's resources will include salaries, commissions, bonuses, royalties, and self-employment income, minus specific deductions such as union dues and social security taxes.

Additional factors can impact the amount of child support, including:

• Whether custody arrangements will impact a parent's financial responsibilities or a child's needs
• Health and medical expenses for the child
• The child's educational needs

While the Texas Family Code establishes a clear framework for child support arrangements that is meant to ensure that a child will receive consistent financial support from each parent, courts have discretion to make necessary adjustments to ensure the child's needs will be met. Child support will typically be ordered, even in situations where parents may share joint managing conservatorship.

Attorney Brandon Wong has over 15 years of legal experience, and he understands the factors that may affect child support cases. He and the team at Brandon Wong & Associates will help you understand how these guidelines apply to your unique circumstances, and we will work hard to ensure that your financial interests will be protected when establishing child support orders.

Addressing concerns About Unpaid Child Support

Refusal to pay child support is a concern in some family law cases. When a parent does not meet their financial obligations toward their child, the missed payments do not go away. Unpaid support will accrue interest over time, and the receiving parent may take steps to collect the amount owed.

The ways unpaid child support will be handled may depend on whether the non-paying parent is actively trying to avoid their responsibilities or whether a person has encountered financial difficulties that have affected their ability to pay. The state of Texas offers many child support enforcement options. These include withholding income, placing liens on a person's home or other assets, driver's license suspensions, intercepting tax refunds, and even court-ordered fines or jail time. While the court may be more lenient toward a parent who lost a job and is trying to recover, steps may still be taken to collect the amounts owed and ensure that a child's ongoing needs will be met.

A parent who is owed child support may take steps to document records of payments and communications with the other parent. When a parent is unable to pay child support as required, it is important to act quickly, since child support obligations will remain in place unless modifications are made by the court. Our lawyers can help parents navigate the proper legal procedures when addressing these issues and making sure a child will receive the proper financial support.

Can Child Support Orders be Modified in Texas?

While child support agreements can be changed, modifications will need to be made through the proper legal channels. Informal agreements between parents can cause problems, and if disagreements arise in the future, the court may take steps to enforce the orders that were originally put in place.

A wide range of life events may serve as valid grounds for modifying an existing child support order, including significant changes in income, changes in custody arrangements, and the loss of a job. State law dictates that a parent must show that a material and substantial change in circumstances has occurred if they wish to modify their current support order.

Contact Our Pleasanton Child Support Attorneys Today

Whether you are getting a divorce or separating from an unmarried partner, your child deserves to receive the necessary care and support. While family law disputes can get messy, focusing on the best interests of children can help ensure that their ongoing needs will be met. At Brandon Wong & Associates, we are dedicated to helping parents understand and safeguard their rights while protecting their children's best interests. Contact our Pleasanton, Texas child support lawyers at 210-201-3832 to set up an initial consultation.