The Details Of Child Support
Child support is the legal and moral responsibility of any parent who is not the custodial parent of his or her minor children, regardless of the marital status of the parents.
Child support calculations are figured by applying the Michigan Child Support Formula, which takes into account the needs of the minor children and the resources of the parents. Courts may deviate from the formula if application of the formula would be unjust or inappropriate. For example, the child support judge may make exceptions to account for medical expenses for a child or extraordinary hardships of a parent.
Are you seeking child support for a minor child? Have you had difficulty getting the non-custodial parent to pay support? Do you believe your child support should be reduced because of changed circumstances? We can help.
Contact the child support attorneys at the law offices of Marrs & Terry, PLLC, to schedule a consultation regarding your child support and child custody arrangements. Our attorneys have the necessary computer software to advise you on likely child support outcomes.
Important Changes To Michigan Child Support Guidelines
In October 2008, Michigan child support guidelines were changed to reflect the amount of time that a child spends with each parent. This is an extremely important change in two ways:
- It has ramifications for the amount of visitation time a parent may want to request when they are negotiating an initial child custody agreement, and
- The change fixed a problem in the “shared economic responsibility formula” Michigan had been using to determine child support. Under the old formula, if a non-custodial parent had his or her child overnight for 123 nights during a year, their child support was drastically reduced. The difference between 122 nights and 123 nights might mean a 50 percent cut in support payments to the custodial parent, even though they were still caring for a child the majority of the time. The new formula provided for gradually reduced payments.
Is Your Family Due For A Child Support Modification?
Changing family circumstances can be grounds for seeking a modification of an existing child support order. For example:
- One or both parents may have experienced a job change resulting in different incomes and work schedules.
- A parent may have developed medical problems resulting in an inability to work.
- A child’s needs may have changed with age as daycare is no longer needed or extra medical care may be needed.
Contact Experienced Family Law Attorneys For Guidance
To learn more about how Michigan child support guidelines may affect your family, contact us to schedule a consultation or call us toll-free at 734-663-0555. We also assist with enforcement and wage garnishment.