Child Support

 

Colorado Child Support Laws

How Does Child Support Work In Boulder?

A mathematical formula

Child support is determined by a mathematical formula which takes into account several figures, including the number of overnights each parent spends with the children. The impact of overnights with the children on child support often results in parents fighting over for financial reasons instead of prioritizing the children’s comfort and best interests. Of course, nearly every parent wants the best for their children. Unfortunately, though, many parents struggle with achieving that goal while in the throes of divorce.

Finding the right child support attorney in Boulder can be the key to making sure you and your spouse can reach an agreement that best benefits your children.

A Boulder child support attorney can help make sure that you have what you need

Receiving consistent child support payments can make a world of difference for a parent struggling to meet their children’s basic needs. By the same token, a parent struggling to pay regular child support deserves fair treatment by the Courts. Careful planning is crucial.

Guidelines

The Colorado legislature has established elaborate guidelines for determining the correct, fair amount of child support. Ross Law Firm ensures that the proper circumstances, data, and formula are taken into consideration, giving the Court an accurate picture of each family’s unique financial needs and each parent’s ability to meet those needs.

Factors that Colorado courts consider in determining monthly child support obligations include the following:

  • The number of minor children in the family
  • The amount of each parent’s monthly income
  • Whether either parent pays child support or maintenance to a current or former spouse
  • Day care expenses paid by either parent
  • Health insurance premiums paid by either parent for the children’s benefit

Witholding child support from wages

Once child support has been determined, the Court will issue a Support Order specifying when and how much child support is to be paid. Child support payments can be regularly withheld from the wages of the obligated parent by that parent’s employer. Ross Law Firm takes great care in preparing all of the necessary paperwork to make sure that the correct amounts are withheld.

Child support modification

Over time, either or both parents’ incomes might change. Although the Courts attempt to anticipate the children’s needs throughout their childhood, sometimes those needs may change significantly in unforeseen ways. When this happens, the Court’s original child support Order may no longer accurately reflect the family’s changing needs or abilities to meet those needs. A parent might then consider whether to ask the Court to modify its original Orders. Child Support Modification

Factors that Colorado courts consider in determining if child support should be modified:

If it becomes necessary to request a change in the court-ordered child support, Ross Law Firm can help you file for modification of the child support Order. Changes that might precipitate a modification of child support include relocation of a parent to another state, a substantial change in either parents’ gross income, or a change in the amount of overnights that the children have with each parent. At Ross Law, we can also help you defend against an attempt for modification mounted by the children’s other parent.

A Ross Law Attorney can help you navigate through the complexities of child support

A parent’s inability, failure or refusal to pay child support can become an urgent legal matter that requires the assistance of a qualified attorney. At Ross Law Firm, we are well-trained to address all issues related to child support. We will work to ensure that your child support obligation is determined accurately and fairly at the outset of your case. If a child support Order needs to be changed, we can assist you in convincing the Court that the change should be made. If your income has changed significantly since the child support Order went into effect and you can no longer meet your child support obligations, we can help. Similarly, if you are not receiving the correct amount of Court-ordered child support in a timely manner, Ross Law can help.

Colorado Courts take child support issues seriously. Losing your job or suffering other decreases in your income can make it difficult or impossible to meet your Court-ordered child support obligations. Rather than risk facing severe legal consequences for your failure to pay child support, contact Ross Law Firm today to assist you in taking the appropriate legal action to reduce your obligation to an appropriate level. Don’t jeopardize your future by failing to pay.

On the other hand, if you have not been receiving the correct amounts of Court-ordered child support for any length of time, Ross Law Firm can help you take steps to collect past due child support. Child Support Enforcement

We can help

Whatever your situation, Ross Law Firm will listen to your needs and provide skilled legal assistance to help resolve your issues quickly and fairly. We know your children are important to you. Make sure they get what they deserve while protecting your own legal rights. Contact Ross Law Firm today for your initial consultation.

The following is a clip of California state, Judge Eugene M. Hyman,
speaking on the topic of child support:


(The information you obtain from this clip is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice.
Some of the information in the clip may be specific to California Law)


Transcription

Sara Ross: In Colorado, we have child support guidelines. It’s a mathematical formula that’s been established by the state legislature. When you go into a child support calculation, we’re looking at specific factors. We look at each person’s income, the number of overnights they have with the children, and then there’s the children’s portion of insurance; and the cost of daycare; and then sometimes there are extraordinary expenses in the case of somebody’s who’s got a kid that is … has mental health issues or needs specific care, autism or something; and, if the parents agree, sometimes private school tuition. So that all gets plugged into an Excel spreadsheet that takes into account those various numbers, and then it kicks out a basic number that one parent owes the other. But parents have the option, if they want, to deviate from the guidelines and ask the court to have more or less child support. You must explain to the court why you want to do that, but it’s possible. Child support is always modifiable. It’s one of the things that can always be changed, and the reason for that is that kids’ needs change, and the courts want to make sure that they’re being flexible for children’s best interests. So, in the event that you want to modify a child’s support, you have to have what’s called a “substantial and continuing change.” One of the things that is considered substantial and continuous, no matter what, is if the numbers add up so that there’s a ten percent or more change in child support, then you’ve met this requirement.