Child Support
Columbus, Ohio, Area Family Law Attorney
Child support is an important issue for nearly all divorcing parents. Although parenting time can be one of many factors in determining the amount, child support is often required even in cases with a "50/50" shared parenting plan.
Please contact us if you need representation by a proven, respected lawyer in your contested divorce or dissolution. Very early in our discussions about the best way to approach your case, we will:
- Address child custody and visitation/parenting time along with support
- Answer your questions about issues such as enforcement
- Help you form expectations for what you may be required to pay or receive
Child Support Guidelines and Potential Deviations
Ohio courts can order either the mother or father to pay child support — and settling a case through negotiation or collaborative law typically requires anticipating how the court would rule.
Statewide child support guidelines and worksheets are in place to help ensure orders are fair, uniform and as supportive as possible of the children's best interests. We will guide you through the calculations, including any special considerations such as the recently passed requirements involving cash medical support orders. In addition, a wide range of factors can justify deviations. A few of these include:
- Annual income over $150,000 for the supporting parent, or a very large income disparity between the parents
- Special medical or educational needs of a child
- Unusual travel expenses for parenting time
Unmarried Parents
Parents who are unmarried also face the same child support and other parenting issues as do parents who are married, with the exception that paternity must be established and is not presumed. These legal issues are resolved in the juvenile Court where similar law and procedure apply.
Whether you are the mother or father, child support should not be resolved between the unmarried parents merely on an informal basis that is not legally binding.
Negotiating an Overall Settlement Can Be Better for All
Many higher-income families facing dissolution, as well as divorcing couples who are able to negotiate, obtain better outcomes for their children outside court. The clients we serve can depend on solid information about child support and strong representation in seeking or defending against deviations.
Whether issues in your divorce can be resolved through negotiation or must ultimately be decided in court, it is important to have a strong understanding of child support. For a productive discussion of your divorce involving children, please contact us at the Law Office of Nancy L. Sponseller.
