Child Support
Questions About Child Support Calculations in Washington?
In Washington, child support questions can arise in divorce, paternity, and dissolution of domestic partnership cases. Washington state has developed child support guidelines that calculate appropriate child support payments based on both parents' income and the division of parenting time. However, there may be reasons why your child support order should vary from the child support guidelines. If you believe this to be the case, an experienced family law attorney can advocate for your interests.
The St. Clair Law Office ∙ Everett, Washington
The St. Clair Law Office offers cost-sensitive legal services from a veteran Washington attorney. Our law firm is led by attorney Patricia Jo Nelson, who has more than 20 years of legal experience, the last 10 years of which have been focused primarily on family law matters in and around Washington state.
Reasons to Talk to a Lawyer About Child Support
"Even if you believe you and your spouse agree on all the issues that will arise during your divorce, conflict is likely to occur," says attorney Nelson. "Get early advice about your legal rights and obligations to save time and money later on."
Even though Washington has clear guidelines by which to calculate reasonable child support payments, there are several good reasons to consult an attorney about child support:
- You believe your spouse is hiding income or is voluntarily underemployed or unemployed — for the purposes of avoiding a child support obligation, a lawyer can investigate all sources of income to make sure the record is complete.
- Your child has special medical needs that may continue into his or her adult life, your attorney can help you negotiate for a fair distribution of the financial responsibilities.
- You need a modification of a child support order — for example, if you lose your job and can't make payments, or if your child's other parent has gotten a raise and you believe the child support obligation should be increased.
- You are an unmarried parent seeking child support payments.
- You need to enforce a child support order, or you have been delinquent in your child support payments.
- You would like to reserve your right to seek child support after your child turns 18, for help with payments for college or post–high school technical education.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With the St. Clair Law Office
We invite you to learn more about our law firm by scheduling a free — and confidential — initial meeting with attorney Patricia Jo Nelson. Call 866-690-0798 or 360-654-4925, or contact us online to make an appointment.
