Gaithersburg Child Support Attorneys

Lawyers Helping to Establish, Modify, or Enforce Child Support Orders in Gaithersburg, Maryland

After a separation or divorce, child support orders will usually be created to make sure children will continue to receive financial support from both of their parents. The issues considered in family law cases involving child support are not always easy to understand. Parents will need to address concerns related to how income may be calculated, what expenses may need to be paid, and other factors that could affect their financial stability and the resources available to their children for years to come.

While Maryland law provides specific guidelines detailing how child support payments should be calculated, every family's situation is different, and multiple types of complex factors could affect the outcome of a case. Parents may encounter disputes related to income, expenses, and children's needs. These concerns can become even more complicated in cases involving a narcissistic parent who engaged in financial manipulation or attempts to avoid financial responsibility. An attorney who has a clear understanding of child support laws can help a parent advocate for solutions that will meet the needs of their children and family.

At Diamant Gerstein, LLC, we provide representation for parents in child support matters, working to ensure that payments will be calculated correctly and that unique concerns affecting their children will be addressed. Our lawyers combine practical financial knowledge of the issues that can affect families with compassionate and dedicated support as matters are addressed in family courts. We will work to achieve outcomes that will provide for children's needs while helping to avoid problems that may arise in the future.

How Maryland Courts Calculate Child Support

In family law cases involving children, courts will take steps to estimate the amount that parents would have spent on their children if they continued to live together. The child support payments that are calculated using this "income sharing" method are divided between parents based on their respective incomes.

The factors that may play a role in child support determinations include:

• Gross Income of Each Parent: All wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, and other income earned by parents will be considered.
• Physical Custody Decisions: The amount of time children will spend living in each parent's home can affect child support calculations.
• Health Insurance Costs: When providing health insurance coverage for children, the costs of monthly premiums may be added to child support obligations.
• Work-Related Child Care Expenses: The costs of child care that will allow a parent to work or attend school will typically be included in child support.
• Extraordinary Medical Expenses: Costs that go beyond routine medical care, such as orthodontic treatment or psychological therapy, may be added to child support.
• Educational Expenses: In some cases, parents may be required to divide costs related to children's education, such as private school tuition or tutoring.

When Child Support Orders May Be Modified

A child support order will not remain in place permanently. Parents' financial obligations toward their children will typically end after children reach adulthood. However, child support may be modified prior to that point in situations where families have experienced major changes.

A parent's income may have changed after losing their job, or their ability to work may be affected by a health condition or disability. Children's needs may change, and parents may need to determine how to handle new medical expenses, adjustments to child care arrangements, or expenses related to a child's education. When a child custody schedule changes, this could affect each parent's child support obligations. In these situations or other cases where substantial changes have occurred, a parent may request a child support modification.

When a parent believes that child support should be adjusted, they can file a modification request with the court. They will need to provide evidence showing that their family's circumstances have changed, as well as other documentation related to income or expenses. If a judge believes that these changes are significant enough to warrant a modification, they may issue an order changing the amount of child support payments.

Enforcement Options When Child Support Goes Unpaid

When a parent has not paid child support according to a court's orders, the other parent can take steps to enforce child support and collect the unpaid amounts. They may ask the court to put orders in place that will collect the amounts owed and make sure child support will be paid correctly in the future. Enforcement options may include wage garnishment, in which support payments will be automatically withheld from a parent's paycheck. Courts can also take steps to intercept state and federal tax refunds, place liens on property, or take other actions to collect child support.

In a child support enforcement case, it is important to keep records of missed payments, including the dates when payments were not made and the amounts that are owed. This documentation can be crucial to ensure that courts will be able to take the proper steps to enforce child support orders. Our attorneys can help clients file child support enforcement petitions and make sure unpaid child support and interest will be collected.

Narcissistic Behavior in Child Support Disputes

In situations where a parent is a narcissist, child support cases may involve complex issues that go beyond the simple calculation of income and expenses. A parent may attempt to hide income, or they may try to withhold payments as a way to exert control over the other parent. They may continually make payments late as an attempt to create financial instability, dispute reasonable expenses out of spite, or engage in other behavior meant to inflict emotional harm. These issues can affect a parent's ability to provide a stable home for their children.

Our lawyers can help clients respond to these tactics by gathering thorough financial documentation, uncovering hidden income, and making sure all financial factors involved in a case will be considered correctly. We can help clients present clear evidence of patterns of manipulation or other behavior that is harmful to children. We will work to minimize disputes, hold a parent to their financial responsibilities, and make sure our clients can maintain financial stability.

Contact Our Gaithersburg, MD Child Support Lawyers

At Diamant Gerstein, LLC, we can help clients establish child support orders based on a comprehensive review of income and expenses. When necessary, we can work with clients to request child support modifications based on changes in their circumstances, or we can work to enforce child support orders and collect amounts that have gone unpaid. Contact our Gaithersburg, Maryland child support payments attorneys at 301-560-2685 to set up a consultation.