Child Support Attorneys in Charlotte

North Carolina Child Support Guidelines

Like many states, North Carolina has guidelines for establishing the child support obligations of noncustodial parents. According to the guidelines, parents spending less than 123 overnights each year with the child are obligated to make support payments to the custodial parent. The formula uses a ratio of the parent’s income and the number of overnights each parent spends with the child to determine child support.

The guidelines consider income from all sources, including:

• Salary
• Bonuses
• Commissions
• Pensions
• Severance pay
• Annuity income
• Capital gains
• Workers’ compensation
• Social Security benefits
• Alimony received by a former spouse

In addition to monetary payments, child support orders may also include an obligation for both parents to contribute to medical insurance coverage, childcare, and other expenses. Our child support attorneys in Charlotte can help you calculate the appropriate amount of child support for your family and advise you about any special circumstances that may apply to your situation.

The Fairness Of Child Support Laws in North Carolina

According to a study, the public feels like the child support amount a noncustodial parent pays should be adjusted appropriately based on the custodial parent’s income.

Both parent’s incomes are taken into account in some states when figuring out child support payments, but the focus in other states is on the noncustodial parent’s income. Since little polling is done in this field of law, policymakers could use this information to gain a better understanding of what the public thinks. However, this does not mean that significant changes will necessarily occur.

While the public’s opinion is valuable, not everyone has an accurate understanding of how child support orders are arrived at. There are also multiple factors involved in many cases. For example, one parent may have difficulty making payments due to his or her income level. However, an adjustment might not occur if this parent does not pay the medical bills the custodial parent pays. This means a sense of fairness is already present in the support calculations, but parents may never feel like the system is correct as one family law attorney said that both sides usually think they are getting a raw deal.

While far too many noncustodial parents simply refuse to meet their child support obligations, others become unable to do so as a result of an adverse change in circumstances such as unexpected unemployment. In such a situation, a family law attorney might offer assistance in filing a petition with the court for a modification of the order.

Child Support Modifications in NC

Circumstances in life change. If one parent’s income increases or decreases significantly, a modification may need to be made to an existing child support order. Our lawyers can evaluate your situation to see if your obligation is subject to modification. If so, we can advise you on the most efficient way to seek the modification.

Child support is money paid from one parent to the other as financial support for their children. At Jetton & Meredith, our Charlotte child support lawyers can assist you in calculating child support, enforcing obligations, and requesting a modification of existing child support orders. We offer personalized attention to each client and use creative resourcefulness to resolve even the most complex issues.*