Mens Family Law & Divorce Attorneys San Diego

The Men's Legal Center
San Diego Child Support Attorneys

When a divorce begins and there are children of that marriage, it gives rise to a whole host of issues, all of which can be emotionally charged and hotly contested by the spouses.  One such issue is that which involves child support, which can involve the California Department of Child Support Services, or DCSS.  If you are facing the prospect of divorce and you are concerned about this issue, seek the help of experienced San Diego child support attorneys as soon as possible.  Below is a brief introduction to this issue.

Child Support Obligations Described

When a marriage ends and one party obtains primary custody of the child or children of the marriage, California law provides for the custodial parent to receive child support payments to help provide for the needs of that child or children.  California can and will get involved in these situations when necessary, and the stated mission of the DCSS is to “ensure children and families receive court-ordered financial and medical support.”  Failure to pay child support is a crime, and the DCSS will help locate a parent and enforce orders that deal with the children of a marriage that ended in a divorce.

How California Child Support is Decided

As stated above, the parent who receives primary custody of the child or children of the marriage that has ended generally obtains child support payments on a monthly basis to help pay for the basic needs of the child.  These basic needs include food, clothing, shelter and other basic needs that the non-custodial parent would help provide if no divorce had occurred.

The process of arriving at a monthly payment amount for child support can be very detailed, and it is generally derived from the income that is earned by the non-custodial parent.  This process, which is dictated by California law, generally involves the following steps:

1. Adding the total net income earned by each parent;
2. Computing the percentage of this income earned by the non-custodial parent;
3. Multiplying by the applicable number of support payments for the number of children of the marriage;

The result of this calculation will allow a court to arrive at a number that is defined as the minimum amount of child support that should be owed.  In many situations, the court will order more than the minimum amount to be paid.

In most cases, child support must be paid on a monthly basis - usually by way of a wage assignment if possible - until the youngest child either graduates from high school and reaches the age of 18 or until the child reaches the age of 19 if he or she has not graduated from high school at that time.

How San Diego Child Support Attorneys Can Help

If you are about to become involved in a divorce and there are children of the marriage, you need to act immediately in order to make sure that your children are properly provided for and that your legal rights are protected.  Similarly, if you think a child support modification is a proper step to take, you need to seek the help of San Diego child support attorneys who have been helping men work towards fair results in this regard for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.