Child Support and Modification

All parents owe a support duty to their children — this obligation is established at birth. Child support is a court ordered payment by one parent, usually the noncustodial parent, to the custodial parent (the parent who has primary physical custody), for the support and needs of the child.

In Texas, the amount of child support the custodial parent receives is determined by a formula used by the court. This guideline formula takes the noncustodial parent’s finances into consideration to determine a percentage of his or her net resources that should be awarded as child support. The court also considers factors like the number of children, as well as employment and income information from both the custodial and noncustodial parents.

While child support payments may be modified, you must provide the court with a reason it determines to be compelling and essential. This typically means there has been a significant change in your circumstances, including, but not limited to: your employment status, health, marriage status, or age of your child. Our attorneys will work closely with you to learn about your changed circumstances and reasons for seeking modification of your support order, ultimately helping you to prepare your case in a compelling and thorough manner.

The Walker Law Firm is also prepared to handle custody issues that arise in military families. When one parent is overseas, due to deployment or other military duties, child support becomes more complex. Portions of a military parent’s income may be nontaxable, and may vary from the typical support calculations. When a noncustodial parent is in the military, it is critical that the child support is determined correctly.

And, in some very unfortunate cases, a parent does not always pay what he or she owes. The Walker Law Firm is ready to assist with enforcement orders as well as contempt cases.