Boulder Child Support Attorney
Child support is often stressful, whether you are the noncustodial parent who will be paying or the custodial parent trying to make ends meet to support your child. At Danielsen Westhoff, PC, our Boulder family law attorneys know that family dynamics can be difficult and contentious, and we endeavor to ensure that our clients are treated fairly while prioritizing the child’s well-being.
If you are trying to negotiate a child support agreement, our Boulder child support attorneys are here to help. Ultimately, child support is about ensuring that your child continues to have access to the financial resources of both parents, and we will work hard to make that happen. Contact us today to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Why Choose Danielsen Westhoff, PC?
At Danielsen Westhoff, PC, we offer our clients more than 30 years of combined experience in family law matters, meaning it is highly unlikely that we have not seen a situation like yours before. Additionally, our firm offers:
- Approachability, something we are regularly noticed for by previous clients
- Realistic advice
- Honesty about your situation to ensure you can make an informed decision
- Care and compassion
- Creative resolutions
Our firm is experienced in handling child support cases throughout Colorado, and you can trust that you will not face judgment or criticism for your situation. Every family has different needs, and we are here to help you work towards your resolution goals.
How a Boulder Child Support Attorney Can Help You
While filling out the Colorado child support worksheet may seem simple up front, there are countless other factors that can derail the process. This can not only cost you time and money, but you may unknowingly miss out on relevant factors that could change the agreement. Therefore, our Boulder child support attorneys are here to help you with matters such as:
Calculations
There are countless factors that can affect the amount of child support ordered. Our team can help you ensure that all of the relevant factors are considered to come to a fair and reasonable agreement. If you fear that the other person is hiding income, or is intentionally underemployed or unemployed, we can help you navigate that situation as well.
Preparing and Filing Documentation
Court fees can add up, and no one wants to have to redo paperwork and filings because of a small error or missed deadline. Our Boulder child support lawyer will ensure that your paperwork is prepared correctly and stay on top of filing deadlines to prevent you from wasting additional time and money.
Negotiation and Representation
Child support is often successfully negotiated in mediation or negotiations outside of the courtroom. We will represent you in these negotiations, handling the contact and consulting you on any offers and counteroffers.
If you are unable to come to a fair agreement in mediation, we will represent you in court.
Modification and Enforcement
Sometimes, the initial child support order is no longer appropriate for your circumstances. Whether the noncustodial parent received a significant pay increase, the child support calculation standards changed, or the cost or access to health insurance changed, we can help you with a modification order to make sure that the current order is the most appropriate for your situation.
If the noncustodial parent has not stayed up to date on their payments, we can help you take the appropriate action to enforce the order. There are several steps to doing this, and we are happy to handle it on your behalf.
How Does the State Determine Child Support?
The base child support is determined by a worksheet, and the details of your circumstances will adjust it up or down from there. The Colorado Division of Child Support Services identifies the main considerations when calculating payments.
Income
The courts will consider the income of both parents. Paying parents who make less than $1500 a month may be eligible for low-income adjustments. Based on the income shares model, the courts believe that the child should receive support proportionate to how it would happen if the parents remained in the same household. For example, a noncustodial parent making $2000 a month is likely to pay less to a custodial parent making $2500 a month than to a custodial parent making $1500 a month.
Parenting Time
Your parenting time or child custody agreement is another key factor in how much a judge might order in child support. The common starting point for custody and parenting time is a general 33% 66% split on time, where the primary custodial parent has the child for more than half of the time, while the other parent exercises regular parenting time.
We know that your children will require things while they are with you, whether it be meals, clothes, or other necessities. Therefore, we may advocate to adjust the support order accordingly, meaning a parent who only takes weekend visits or parenting time may pay more than a parent who has custody on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Expenses
Factors that may dramatically affect the child support order are other expenses in the child’s life. These often include things like childcare costs, health insurance premiums, and educational expenses, or agreed-on extracurricular activities. For example, say your base child support order says you are responsible for paying $400 a month, but you are taking ownership of providing health insurance that costs $100, we may advocate to credit a portion of that to your overall financial responsibility.
Call Our Boulder Child Support Lawyers Today
It can be really challenging to find a child support agreement that you feel comfortable with. If you have primary custody of your child, it can be easy to feel like the situation is unfair because the other parent’s payment does not cover half of the costs. If you are the paying parent, you may worry that your child’s other parent is using the money inappropriately.
The Boulder child support lawyers at Danieslsen Westhoff understand this and we will work diligently to help you come up with a number and terms that feel reasonable and agreeable. Call us today at (720) 739-1770 to schedule a case consultation and discuss your situation.