Providing your children with the financial means they need is one of the most important parts of being a parent. Coming up with a fair child support plan will go a long way in protecting your relationship with your children moving forward.
At the offices of Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law , our Bethesda child support attorney is ready to help you protect your parental rights and do what is best for your kids. With more than 20 years of family law experience, including time as a judge, family lawyer Cohn understands how these cases work and what you can do to find a plan that works.
Steadfast, Attentive And Assertive Family Law Representation
Child support guidelines vary from state to state. In all cases, support depends on the income of both parties and the ability to pay. In Maryland, the paying parent must make child support payments until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school. In Washington, D.C., the paying parent must make child support payments until the child turns 21.
In all states, the courts are going to do what they believe is in the best interest of the children involved. They will look at the financial needs of your children, including education, day care, extracurricular activities, health insurance and special needs. College is not mandatory as part of child support, but parents can make agreements outside of the law that are legally binding.
Child support begins at the time of filing an action. Even if there are no support payments made before the parenting plan begins, the paying parent will have to make retroactive payments. When representing parents who have to pay support, we recommend they start payments at the beginning, even if it is not required at the time, because they will have to make those payments eventually.
You are not locked into the same child support plan forever. Our firm also handles child support modification for families whose financial situations have changed significantly since the time of their initial child support plan.
Many cases involve parents who are self-employed where the determination of a person’s income is difficult and can be tedious. Attorney Cohn can help uncover a person’s actual income through various court processes. While it may be impossible to uncover all of a person’s income, the law allows a wide latitude to uncover many, if not most, of the income sources of an individual.
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The child support determination process may not be as straightforward as it appears. We can help you understand how the process works and make sure you come up with a fair deal. Contact our Bethesda law offices online or call us at 301-968-6840 today to schedule a consultation and learn more.
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