East Valley Child Support Attorneys
As a parent, it is your legal responsibility to financially provide for your children. Whether never married or going through divorce, Arizona has strict child support guidelines determining how support is calculated and awarded. There is an established formula defined by the child support laws that uses the financial details of each parent, including their income, expenses, and amount of parenting time they spend with the child to determine each parent’s obligation.
While the formula is set, and the same formula applied to all parents seeking to fulfill their child support obligation, a dedicated and experienced East Valley child support attorney can help you understand how to best input those figures so that the required payment fits within your financial needs or means.
At Dodge & Vega, PLC, we can assist with your child support case as part of your divorce proceedings, your father’s rights case, or as a separate matter if seeking new orders, modification, or enforcement of existing orders.
While there is no negotiation when it comes to child support obligations, we can help ensure that your rate is reasonable, meeting your needs and/or ability to pay.
Our Mesa child support and custody lawyers are dedicated to protecting your interests during all family law matters while ensuring your child(ren) have sufficient support and care from both parents.
Call Dodge & Vega, PLC at (480) 559-8252 for a Free Consultation!
Child Support Calculation
Similar to alimony or spousal maintenance, child support calculations in Arizona are based on the state’s legal child support and child custody guidelines. Understanding your obligation can be pretty straightforward. However, an experienced child support attorney, like those at Dodge & Vega, PLC can help you understand how you can minimize your obligation if the standard accounting procedure does not provide you with an amount that you have a reasonable ability to pay.
At Dodge & Vega, PLC, we will run your calculations privately before you ever step foot into family court. By understanding what to expect, we can give you recommendations and advice for reducing your monthly child support obligation, or increasing the amount of child support you receive.
It is important to note that your gender does not play a role in defining support- mothers and fathers can both have a higher income or a reduced parenting role, making them the parent responsible for providing financial support beyond what the other is able to provide. It is highly unlikely that both parents make the exact same income and spend the same amount of time with the child(ren), so one parent will almost always be responsible for making a payment to cover the difference.
In order to calculate child support for your unique case, our legal professionals will take a look at:
- Complete Income Assessment for both parents, including all income sources. This is used to determine both the total obligation, as well as the obligation of each parent. Each parent will not be expected to pay the same amount. The courts understand that one parent is often in the role of provider, making a higher income than the other party. The parent with the higher income can expect to have a higher support obligation based on this calculation alone.
- Parenting Time Assessment allows the courts to understand how the child splits their time between the two parents. A parent who takes on a larger role as caregiver will often have a reduced obligation, as it is assumed that they are naturally spending more money on the child on a day to day basis.
- Individual Expenses, such as medical expenses for the child, can also impact the obligation breakdown. If you already have a financial obligation that is directly related to the care and wellbeing of the child, that expense may be used to reduce your support.
Don’t waste time worrying about if you can afford your child support payments. With a little research and information from you, the family law offices of Dodge & Vega, PLC can quickly provide you a breakdown detailing how much support you will be expected to pay or receive.
We are dedicated to clarifying your expectations during every aspect of your child support, child custody, and divorce case. If you are a non-custodial parent, going through military divorce, a high-income divorce, or were never married and seeking father’s rights, the family law attorneys at Dodge & Vega, PLC provide insightful, experienced legal advice and dedicated legal support for all your family law needs.
Child Support Enforcement
What happens when AZ child support orders have been put in place, but the supporting parent isn’t paying? Maybe they used to pay, but the payments have gotten later, less than the full amount, or may have stopped altogether.
Non-payment of child support is a violation of a court order, and can result in a variety of legal measures being taken against the offender, such as a motor vehicle lein, suspension of your driver’s license, wage garnishment, fines, and even jail time.
If you are not receiving the full amount of child support ordered by the courts, we can help you get the funds that are both legally owed and needed to properly support your children. Dodge & Vega, PLC is your aggressive advocate, working hard to ensure your family is taken care of.
If you are unable to meet your child support obligation, it is even more important that you contact Dodge & Vega, PLC right away. We assist you by working towards a settlement, or modification of your support obligation to better meet your financial status and ability.
Child Support Modification
Once a child support obligation has been legally determined and orders have been put into effect, your payment will not change unless a review or modification is requested. Even then, there must be a significant reason for the review in order for the courts to hear your request.
Changes in income or other financial status changes, changes in the child’s needs such as the discovery of a medical condition or increased educational costs, or if it has come to light that one of the parents were attempting to hide income can all be grounds for modification of your child support obligation.
If your financial status has changed so you are no longer able to meet your court-ordered child support obligation, it is imperative that you contact an experienced child support attorney, such as Dodge & Vega, PLC, immediately to begin the modification process. Getting behind on payments will only make it that much harder for you to stay on top of your obligation, and will make it harder for you to get leeway from the courts.
If you are receiving child support and the needs of the child have outgrown the payment you are receiving, or are struggling with any other child support issue, we can help as well.
Complete Family Law Firm
Dodge & Vega, PLC is your complete East Valley, AZ family law firm, providing family legal support for all family legal matters. When you need a discrete, compassionate partner to assist you with the most personal legal matters, we are here with a listening ear and insightful advice to help you make the best decisions for your families future.
Dodge & Vega, PLC assists with any family law legal topics, such as estate planning, prenuptial agreements, legal separation, domestic violence, bankruptcy, and more. Not all lawyers in Mesa are qualified to handle these sensitive topics. Just like you wouldn’t hire a roofer to install your windows, it doesn’t make sense to hire a criminal defense attorney or personal injury lawyer to help with your family law case.
Our dedicated child custody lawyers, divorce lawyers, and Mesa child support attorneys are experienced and passionate about family law, and we look forward to ensuring you and your children have the emotional and financial support they need to thrive.
Let’s Talk- Free Consultation
Obtaining, enforcing, and modifying East Valley child support is not only complex, it is emotionally, financially, and physically exhausting. At the law offices of Dodge & Vega, PLC, our Mesa, AZ child support, child custody, divorce, and family law experts make your child’s future and financial security our top priority. We go the extra mile to ensure you and your children are adequately protected, with the resources you need to give them the best possible life.
If you need dedicated legal assistance with child support orders, enforcement, or modification in Arizona, call the affordable family lawyers at Dodge & Vega, PLC for your free initial consultation.
Call Dodge & Vega, PLC now at (480) 559-8252 for your Free Child Support Consultation!