Minneapolis Child Support Lawyer for Men

Guiding Fathers Through Complex Child Support Cases

If you’re getting divorced and you share minor children with your spouse, you might be concerned about legal issues that include child custody and child support. In particular, if you’re unlikely to get sole custody of your children, you’re probably prepared to pay child support to their custodial parent.

As you plan for your child support case, it’s helpful to know how much you will pay and what factors will affect the amount. At The Legal Dad, our team has experience helping fathers through divorce cases that involve child support, child custody, and other important legal issues. Contact us for a free initial consultation with a caring Minneapolis child support attorney.

What Are the Child Support Guidelines in Minnesota?

It’s important to understand how the issue of child support is handled in Minnesota family law courts. The reason for child support is to make sure the custodial parent has sufficient financial resources to afford the cost of raising a child in this state.

There are three types of child support that Minnesota parents are required to consider during their case. One is basic support, which refers to money to cover the costs of providing food, housing, clothes, transportation, educational needs, and other expenses.

There is also child care support, which is money to pay for daycare expenses while the parents are working or furthering their education. The third type of child support is medical and dental support, which includes the cost of health insurance, dental insurance, and any out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses. The judge will take all three types of support into consideration before adding up the total the non-custodial parent has to pay.

Note that the Minnesota court periodically updates the child support guidelines as needed, so you should talk to your child support attorney to find out what the latest rules are. For example, the court recently updated the numbers in the child support table used to estimate the costs of raising children in Minnesota. It also made changes to minimum child support amounts, added low-income adjustments, and modified other details that your lawyer will inform you about. Contact The Legal Dad to learn about the latest guidelines.

How Are Child Support Payments Calculated?

If you’re curious about how much you will likely pay for child support, it helps to know what factors are considered. The most important details the judge will look at while calculating child support are both parents’ income, the number of children they must support, their expenses, and how much time each parent spends with them.

The child support calculation process will typically begin by looking at each parent’s monthly income. The judge will add the incomes together to establish the Parental Income for Child Support, or PICS. They will then add up the number of children the couple shares to determine the amount the Minnesota child support guidelines require a parent to pay.

Of course, the guidelines simply provide a starting point, as the total is often adjusted based on other factors. The cost of raising the children is a major factor since child support may be increased if daycare and medical expenses are higher than average. Another detail is how much parenting time each parent gets with the children, as the less time you spend with your children, the more you’ll be expected to pay in child support.

An experienced child support attorney can estimate how much you’ll pay after reviewing your income, parenting time, and the overall cost of raising your children. They can also assist with negotiating the amount you’ll be ordered to pay if you don’t believe it sounds reasonable or feel you can’t afford it. Contact our Minneapolis law firm to discuss your basic child support obligation today.

Can You Modify Child Support?

If you’re ordered to pay child support and find yourself struggling financially, you may be able to request a modification of the amount. However, this requires you to prove that the total is no longer reasonable or fair for you to pay. You must also show that your circumstances have changed since the original court order.

Some examples of reasons to request a change in child support include:

• Your income was reduced by at least 20% due to job loss, demotion, or reduction of hours at work
• Your living expenses have significantly increased
• There has been a change in parenting time, so your children spend more time in your care
• The child was recently emancipated

In short, if there has been a substantial change in your situation since the child support order was given, you may be able to modify the total so you pay less. Of course, the custodial parent can also request that child support be modified, which may result in you paying more. For instance, if you start earning more money or the child’s expenses increase, their mother can petition the court to increase child support. Your lawyer will assist with this process, whether you need to decrease the amount due to job loss or want to avoid an increase in child support.

Should You Hire a Minneapolis Child Support Lawyer?

If you’re concerned about your ability to pay child support after divorce, it’s time to get legal advice from a Minneapolis family law firm. At The Legal Dad, we understand the importance of ensuring children have the financial support of both parents, but we also want to protect our clients’ rights during divorce. That’s why we help fathers navigate the process from start to finish.

Whether you have questions about child support enforcement and modification or are interested in creating a child support agreement without court, our team can provide answers. Call our Minneapolis law office at 612-712-3405 to talk to a compassionate Minneapolis child support lawyer for men.