Michigan Child Support Attorneys
Whether married or not, both parents must share in the responsibility of raising their child by providing financial, medical and child care support. A child support lawyer can assist in ensuring that these obligations are enforced.
For help with your child support issues, contact The Stroble Law Firm P.C. today at (888) 454-0801, or use our online contact form.
In the state of Michigan, a court may order a parent to pay support for a child under the age of 18 or who is older than 18 but still attending high school on a full-time basis. However, once the child reaches 19 years and six months, the need to provide child support terminates.
The amount of child support is calculated by using the Michigan Child Support Formula, which is regularly updated by the state’s Friend of the Court Bureau. Among the factors that go into the determination are:
- The mother’s net income and father’s net income
- The number of children of the parties
- Any custodial arrangements
- Spousal support between the parties
- Other child support obligations
- The custody of other children
- Health care and child care costs for the children
Regardless of whether the parent has custody or visitation rights, a court may still order the parent to provide child support. It also does not matter whether the parent is employed.
However, child support payments are always subject to modification due to a change in the circumstances of either parent. The changes can only be made for payments going forward, however, and not for past payments.
If a parent falls behind in child support payments, they are called “arrearages” and may subject the parent to a variety of criminal and civil penalties, including the withholding of income.
When a married couple has a child, the law automatically recognizes the husband as the child’s legal father, although that can be challenged through a court action. Otherwise, if the child is born outside of a marriage, paternity must be legally established before the court can order the father to provide child support.
In some cases, one or both of the parents may move to another state, which will require the child support order to be registered in the new state.
If child support is at issue in a divorce, separation or annulment, then the parties might be able to agree to terms through the use of a mediator or arbitrator.
Based in Bloomfield Hills, The Stroble Law Firm represents clients across Michigan, including Macomb County, Oakland County, Warren, Clinton Township, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, Utica, Roseville, Troy, Farmington Hills, Waterford, Southfield, Pontiac, Birmingham Michigan, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills. Call The Stroble Law Firm at (888) 454-0801, or contact us online.
More Information: Post-Judgment Modification: Spousal Support and Child Support
