Child Support Attorneys in Waco Texas

Child support should meet the essential needs of a child. So child support includes having shelter, food, and clothing. Dunnam & Dunnam family law attorneys routinely handle child support issues. Our Waco child support attorneys know how to interpret very complex income situations. Call our child support attorneys at 254-753-6437 to schedule a consultation.

How is child support calculated?

Support amounts are typically based on income according to state guidelines. Texas considers the financial support of children to be a joint responsibility of both parents. However, in determining the amount of child support paid by the noncustodial parent (the parent that does not have the children living with them). Only the noncustodial parent’s income is considered. Sometimes income and expenses can be challenging to determine, especially with business owners, income from multiple streams, or complex personal issues, which create a wide variation in personal expenses from month to month. 

Support is a flat percentage of the noncustodial parent’s income (less allowable deductions) for each child. The courts presume that the custodial parent spends at least an equal ratio of their income directly in child support. The custodial parent’s income/salary generally does not come into question unless there is evidence that merely following the guidelines is not in the child’s best interest.

Child Support in Texas

In Texas, when the paying parent has no other minor children, child support is based on state guidelines that factor in the paying parent’s net income and other resources, as follows:

• 20 percent of net resources for one child;
• 25 percent of net resources for two children;
• 30 percent of net resources for three children;
• 35 percent of net resources for four children; and
• 40 percent of net resources for five children.

Texas uses a complex set of guidelines and formulas to determine how support should be paid when a noncustodial parent has children in multiple households. It is based on adding a total support obligation for all children as if they lived in one home. The procedure then considers the number of children involved in the current proceeding and applies credits for support to children who are not part of the present proceeding. There is much more involved in this particular aspect of determining support.

Without the aid of counsel or a state caseworker, these amounts are complicated to calculate. The resources or needs of either parent’s new spouse or dependents may not be used to increase or decrease the child support obligation.

Both parents may be ordered to make periodic, lump sum, or both types of child support payments. There are official child support guidelines set out in the statute, and these are presumed to be reasonable and in the child’s best interests. In rare cases where the court determines that the guidelines should not apply, the factors for consideration are:

• the age and needs of the child;
• the ability of the parents to contribute to the support of the child;
• any financial resources available for the support of the child;
• the amount of possession and access to the child;
• the net resources of the parent to pay support, including the earning potential of the parent to pay support if the actual income of that parent is significantly less than what that parent could earn, if intentionally unemployed or underemployed;
• any childcare expenses necessary for the employment of either parent;
• whether a parent has custody of another child and any child support expenses being paid or received for the care of another child;
• the amount of alimony being currently paid or received;
• provisions for health care;
• any educational or health care needs of the child, including college expenses;
• any benefits a parent receives from an employer;
• any debts or obligations of a parent;
• any wage or salary deductions of the parents;
• the cost of traveling to visit the child;
• any positive or negative cash flow from any assets, including a business or investments;
• any provisions for health care or insurance;
• any unusual or extraordinary educational, health care, or other expenses of the parents or the child;
• whether either parent has a car or housing furnished by an employer or other person or business; and
• any other relevant factor.

The court orders health insurance coverage typically and requires the parent to split the child’s uninsured health care expenses. Also, the court may order income withholding to secure the payment of child support. Child support is described in the Texas Codes Annotated; Family Code, Chapters 154.001 to 154.309.

To discuss your case with an experienced Waco child support lawyer, contact one of Dunnam & Dunnam’s child support attorneys at 254-753-6437.

What do our child support clients say about Dunnam & Dunnam?

Wacoan Magazine regularly chooses our law firm as the best in Waco, including best family law attorneys. You can read many of our client’s family law reviews on our family law page. Some of our child custody clients have said,

“I have known Jim Dunnam for 30 years, back in the day when it was unheard of for the man to get custody of the kids during a divorce Jim fought for me and got custody of both my children for me, if you are lucky enough to have Jim as your attorney then you have the piece of mind knowing he will fight for your case till the very end, a stand up guy who tells you straight up front what your facing and what he can do for you, I highly recommend Jim Dunnam to anyone who is in need of an attorney for any circumstance.” –Greg Key

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