Murrieta Child Support Lawyer

Legal Representation Backed by 10+ Years of Experience

Divorcing spouses have very little to disagree about when it comes to income-based state guidelines for the support. However, if you are unclear as to what your financial support obligations will be—or if you are already divorced and not receiving enough, or paying too much, support—you need the help of our experienced Murrieta child support attorney right away.

Murrieta family law attorney Michael D. Iverson's 10+ years of service to his clients and his deep knowledge of support statutes uniquely qualify him to defend your rights.

He is your educator, advocate, confidante, and sympathetic guide during any journey through the legal process.

How Does California Calculate Child Support?

Child support in California is determined by a complex calculation that factors in:

• each parent's gross income;
• the amount of time each child spends with each parent;
• any income tax deductions; and
• child care costs spent by either parent.

Who Pays Child Support in Joint Custody in California?

It is common for spouses to split joint custody of a child (or children) in California and for one spouse to owe child support still. Therefore, if you are the higher-earning parent and intend to share 50/50 custody of your children equally (joint custody), you may be ordered to pay some child support or pay some costs.

What Is the Most Child Support Can Take in California?

In California, there isn’t a cap to the amount of support that can be ordered. There is a specific formula used to determine the support, and therefore a limit cannot exist that would undermine the existing method for calculating child support. There are, however, some extremely limited scenarios in which the court can deviate from this rule.

Does Child Support Automatically Stop at 18 in California?

Child support typically ends when the children graduate high school at the age of 18 if they are living with the custodial parent. If the child has not graduated at 18 but is still a full-time high school student, support can continue until they graduate or until they turn 19.

Can You Waive Child Support in California?

No, you cannot waive child support in California as it is not in the child's best interest. It is apparent to know that children are dependent on their parents for care, and support requires money until they become adults.

Can the Amount of Child Support Be Changed?

Child support can be modified after the fact. Changes in circumstances are often a reason for parents to have to re-evaluate their finances and speak with a lawyer about making changes that reflect a new situation.

What Happens if I Don't Pay Child Support in California?

If you don’t pay child support, the California courts can hold you in “contempt of court,” which means the judge believes you have willfully disobeyed a court order. Contempt can be criminal or civil. Criminal contempt can result in you paying a fine or serving jail time. If you are held in civil contempt, you may also face jail time, but you will be released once you pay the past-due amount. It is also possible for the court to order a combination of civil and criminal contempt penalties.

Additional penalties include:

• Being sentenced community service hours;

• Having to pay the other parent’s attorney fees and other costs associated with enforcing the child support order;

• A lien being placed on real property, such as your house or land;

• Wages being withheld to pay child support;

• Money being garnished from your bank account or pension plan, veteran’s disability benefits, etc.

Call Our Dedicated Murrieta Child Support Attorney for Guidance

Murrieta child support attorney Michael D. Iverson works hard to bring order to the chaos in your family when disagreements or misconceptions about appropriate levels of support arise. His track record has revealed him to be an excellent negotiator and equally effective at trial if litigation is warranted.