Child Support

Basic Information About Child Support in California

safe and happyChild support is an amount of money a court orders either one parent or both parents to pay every month to help pay for the care of their child or children. Child support is normally ordered after a petition for divorce is filed, and usually the non-custodial parent pays child support to the custodial parent.

Misconceptions abound regarding child support. Some noncustodial and custodial parents alike think the money is intended to help support the custodial parent. Others believe that child support should be put in a separate account to be used only for the children’s direct expenses, and still others believe every penny should be accounted for on a monthly basis. None of those misconceptions are true.  The broad purpose of child support is to help provide for the needs of the children, which means it may be used to help pay for rent and utilities, groceries, clothing, and so on.  A child support recipient does not normally have to account for how the money was spent. If you feel you are getting the short end of the stick where child support is concerned, then think about the long-term costs that will accrue over the years your children are entitled to support. Paying for competent, aggressive representation now is worth every penny. Like the old adage, when it comes to legal advice you get what you pay for. If you need an advocate on your side to fight for the outcome that is right for you and your children, contact an experienced family law attorney to petition the court on your behalf. The Law Offices of Judy L. Burger will aggressively pursue the best outcome possible for you in your child support proceedings. Judy L. Burger is known for her aggressive representation of clients in high conflict cases in and around the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento areas.  If you are a parent facing a divorce, custody, or child support dispute, call us today to learn more about how we can help.  Call (415)293-8314 in the San Francisco Bay area or (916)631-1935 in the Sacramento area, or contact us online via our confidential inquiry form.
California Divorce, Child Support

How to Change Child Support in California

Changing Child Support in California
Changing Child Support in California
When your divorce was final, either you or your spouse was probably awarded primary physical custody of your children.  At that time, the court took many factors into consideration to determine what amount of child support the non-custodial parent would pay to the primary custodial parent.  Although California has statutory child support guidelines that can be used to estimate child support, the commissioner or family law judge has authority to make the final decision. With the passage of time, circumstances often change.  You may feel as though you are paying excessive child support under the circumstances, particularly if your income suffered a setback during the recent recession.  On the other hand, you may believe you are receiving too little child support due to similar circumstances on the receiving end. Some common reasons to seek a child support modification include changes in the receiving parent’s income, changes in the paying parent’s income, changes in the relative time spent with the children, changes in child care costs, and other factors related to the welfare and wellbeing of the child. There are a couple of ways to go about changing child support in California.  One method is to simply contact your former spouse and discuss the reasons you need the change.  If the two of you can reach an agreement, you should put it in writing and have it made into a court order immediately, preferably with the help of an experienced California family law attorney. If you and your former spouse cannot agree to modify child support, then you will need to seek the help of an attorney experienced in aggressively litigating family law matters to petition the court for a modification. If you feel that your child support order is due for a modification, contact an experienced, aggressive family law attorney. At the Law Offices of Judy L. Burger, we will discuss your options with you and persistently pursue the best outcome possible for you in modifying your child support order. Judy L. Burger is known for her aggressive representation of clients in high conflict cases in and around the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento areas.  If you are a parent looking to review your support order, call us today to learn more about how we can help.  Call (415)293-8314 in the San Francisco Bay area or (916)631-1935 in the Sacramento area, or contact us online via our confidential inquiry form.
California Divorce, Child Support

Collecting Unpaid Child Support in California

Collecting Unpaid Child Support
Collecting Unpaid Child Support
Let’s face it.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  Your dreams of wedded bliss may have gone up in smoke when Prince Charming or Cinderella rode off into the sunset with someone else or decided family life was not all it was cracked up to be.  You may be left raising the children on a very tight budget, especially if the other parent is not paying his or her court-ordered child support payments. As adults, we have to accept the consequences of our decisions, good or bad.  But it certainly isn’t fair to make the children suffer, too.  A parent’s refusal to consistently help support his or her children is not taken lightly by courts, but nothing will change if you don’t take a stand and bring the matter to a court’s attention. In California, you have options for pursuing the payment of court-ordered child support. The state offers services to California families through the California Department of Child Services.  Another option is to use a private attorney who is experienced in family law and child support cases. An experienced family law attorney knows the tactics used by parents who refuse to pay child support, including changing jobs frequently, moving from state to state, working for cash and childish defiance of the court order.  At the Law Offices of Judy L. Burger, we will persistently pursue the best outcome possible for you in collecting back child support. Judy L. Burger is known for her aggressive representation of clients in high conflict cases in and around the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento areas.  If you are a spouse facing divorce, call us today to learn more about how we can help.  Call (415)293-8314 in the San Francisco Bay area or (916)631-1935 in the Sacramento area, or contact us online via our confidential inquiry form.