Lexington, South Carolina: Child Support Attorneys
Parents of children are expected to contribute financially to the children's care, schooling and health care — even after a divorce or if the parents have never been married.
Determining the amount of child support that should be paid can be a fairly straightforward process. Or, depending on the parents' circumstances, child support can create a long and complicated battle.
If you are either seeking child support or are challenging the amount of child support you think you have to pay — the experienced lawyers at the Law Office of Richard J. Breibart, LLC, can provide practical and knowledgeable legal advice at a reasonable price. Our family law legal services combine experience and knowledge with energy and dedication to families' rights.
How Is Child Support Determined in South Carolina?
South Carolina has child support guidelines that were passed into law by the state legislature. Under these child support calculation guidelines, child support is determined based on both parents' incomes. Parents also receive "child care credits" if they pay for day care, health insurance premiums or other special expenses. Once the child support calculator has that information, it calculates the total amount of support that each child receives. Then, it calculates the percentage that each parent should pay based on the child custody arrangements. The parent who has primary custody of the child will receive child support from the noncustodial parent.
There are several circumstances permitted by South Carolina law where the Family Court deviated from the child support guidelines. Although deviation from the guidelines is the exception and not the rule, please contact the Law Office of Richard J. Breibart, LLC if you have an unusual financial situation, your child has extraordinary costs, or you and your spouse have a combined income in a very high income bracket.
The Issue of "Full Financial Disclosure"
Child support calculations can turn into a heated conflict when one parent accuses the other of failing to provide "full financial disclosure." If one parent is accused of hiding resources — or of being voluntarily underemployed so as not to be required to pay child support — the legal battle can heat up.
In such cases, the family law attorneys at Law Office of Richard J. Breibart, LLC, employ investigators and accountants, as necessary, to make sure that a full and complete picture of each parent's financial resources is available for the court to make its child support ruling.
Modification of Child Support Amounts
Sometimes, child support amounts need to be modified throughout the child's youth — perhaps because the parents' economic circumstances have changed or the child has developed special medical or educational needs.
Our law firm is happy to help with child support modifications, whether or not our office handled the original divorce proceedings.
Consult the Law Office of Richard J. Breibart, LLC
We provide efficient and cost-effective help with any type of child support dispute — whether the conflict arises before or after the divorce decree is finalized.
We provide free, in-person consultations, and we may have appointments available in the early mornings, evenings and on the weekends for your convenience. Call us locally at 803-753-1834 or toll-free at 866-645-8743. Or send us an e-mail for a prompt response.
