Philadelphia Child Support Attorneys
Child support in Pennsylvania
The family law department of Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel, LLP provides representation for clients with any and all issues relating to child support. Our experienced Philadelphia child support lawyers help both custodial and non-custodial parents in these types of matters:
- Establishing child support payments
- Modifying child support arrangements
- Enforcing child support requirements
- Collecting payments
Child support lawyers in Philadelphia
Regardless of marital status, both parents are legally required to provide financial support to their children, depending on what they can afford. Once a child custody arrangement is set, the court uses a state-mandated formula to determine the amount the noncustodial parent must pay to the custodial parent on a monthly basis.
The law does allow for deviation from the standard formula when certain factors necessitate it. Moreover, child support arrangements can be modified periodically—ideally, with the help of a Philadelphia family law lawyer.
Determining child support
According to the formula used in Pennsylvania, only these factors are taken into account when establishing the monthly child support payment amount:
- The monthly income of each parent
- The number of children the parents have
- The percentage of time the children spend under the care of each parent
Under certain circumstances, other factors are taken into account, including issues such as a child with unusual needs, a parent with multiple child support obligations and the medical expenses of a child not covered by health insurance. Also included are such standard issues as the ages of the children, the assets of the parents and the best interests of the children. A skilled Philadelphia child support lawyer from Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel, LLP can help you obtain permission to deviate from the child support guidelines.
Parents are also permitted to agree upon an appropriate level of child support to be paid. The court will approve support agreements that reasonably provide for the children.
Modification and enforcement
Philadelphia child support lawyers are particularly helpful when child support must be modified or enforced. When the financial situation of a parent changes, or when additional factors make the support level unreasonable, he or she may file a formal motion with the court for modification.
If a parent fails or refuses to pay, a number of tools can be used to obtain child support. These include the use of a government Parent Locator Service, wage garnishment, writs of execution or prosecution.
Contact our child support lawyers in Pennsylvania
For more information about child support, consult with our law firm today. Conveniently based in Philadelphia, we handle cases in the five-county area of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties, and throughout Pennsylvania. For personal advice and satisfying results, contact Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel, LLP—where character counts.
