Childsupport Houston TX
Houston Child Support Attorney
A judge may order a parent to pay child support but that doesn’t mean that that parent will obey that order. Every parent wants to secure their child’s future in marriage and after a divorce. But if the parent with child support obligations fails to pay or if the child support is not calculated correctly, then the child and parent that has custody are placed at a disadvantage.
Consult an experienced Houston child support lawyer to help you ensure that you paying or receiving the right amount of child support.
What You Need To Know About Child Support In Texas
Texas Child Support Lawyers
There are guidelines and caps on the amount of child support in Texas. At the center of the decision on the amount to be paid are the best interests of the child. The judge’s goal is that the lifestyle the child is used to is not withdrawn and that special needs child’s needs should be met after divorce.
The noncustodial parent should look at the statutory guidelines to estimate the amount they need to pay: The following guidelines shows the percentages the noncustodial parent has to pay depending on the number of children:
- For one child you need to pay 20 percent of your net income
- For two children you pay 25 percent
- 30 percent is the required amount for three children
- Four children require 3 percent
- Five children require 40 percent
- 40 percent s the least you should pay for six or more children
Net income is the amount that remains once after taxes and health insurance for the child is subtracted. But there is also a cap on the amount you need to pay. While the noncustodial parent has to pay for the child’s needs, the court can choose either parent to enroll the child in their health insurance policy.
The noncustodial parent’s child support obligations end once the child reaches age 18 or after they graduate from high school.
How Child Support Enforcement Works
Child Support Enforcement Houston, TX
Without the necessary financial and emotional support that they need from both parents, children may experience a poor quality of life. That is why Office of the Attorney General will take drastic measures in the event that the noncustodial parent does not pay child support. Some of the measures include:
- Liens: They can file liens of the offending parent’s bank accounts, retirement plans, properties, and other assets.
- License suspension: The OAG can request up to 60 agencies to suspend the noncustodial parent’s professional, fishing, hunting, and drivers licenses.
- Court action: The parent can be arrested and taken to court for failing to pay child support. If it’s a civil contempt case, the noncustodial parent may face a fine for every missed payment. Criminal cases can lead to serving time in jail.
- Passport denial: The noncustodial parent may be denied a new or renewed passport effectively preventing them from traveling out of the country.
- Lottery Winnings: Any lottery prizes issued by the Texas Comptroller’s Office to the noncustodial parent may be intercepted and used to pay for the child’s medical needs.