http://www.help4dad.com/Family-Law/childandspousalsupport.html

Child support and child custody? We can help.

In California, child support is the duty of the mother and father and child support laws are meant to create a fair environment for the child to grow up in. When you are fighting for your father’s rights, you can rest assured that The Law Office of David C. Stone will work to attain an order that is beneficial for you and your child.

There are many factors that go into determining child support. Here are just a few:

• The income of both parents
• Visitation with your child
• Health insurance
• Union dues
• Interest calculations
• Mandatory retirement
• Hardship calculations
• Child care expenses

Your Visitation Rights
You’ll want a divorce lawyer by your side to make sure the court affords you the child custody visitation percentage that you believe is right. This can often become a complicated issue. The court will calculate the percentage of child custody time that one party has compared to the other party. You’ll want someone who can stand up for your parental rights.

Child Support Payments
You’re already fighting an uphill battle for father’s rights in any divorce or separation but you’re going to want someone who will look out for you when it comes to paying child support. Most divorced fathers pay child support – according to the U.S. Census Bureau over 90% do – we understand that. Negotiating child support payments isn’t about being a “deadbeat dad”; it’s about what’s right for you and your child.

Child Visitation Percentage
The visitation percentage is calculated after the custodial arrangement has been either agreed upon or ordered by the court. The percentage is a calculation of the actual percentage of time that one party has custody of the minor child compared to the other party. As an example, an individual with alternating weekends and a standard holiday schedule has a visitation of approximately 20%.

What about income?

Divorce is stressful enough without also having to worry about money. But we know that can be a primary concern when it comes to issues of child support and spousal support. A competent divorce lawyer understands that there’s more to income that just what appears on a W-2.  If you are self-employed, under-employed, a high income earner, or someone who receives occasional bonuses, then additional issues can arise. There are other issues as well, such as:

• depreciation
• automobile expenses
• cell phone expenses
• and other items that can be recalculated as income

These are just a few examples why having a dedicated divorce lawyer is essential.