Minneapolis Child Support Lawyer

Serving Parents in the Twin Cities and Surrounding Counties of Hennepin, Anoka, Ramsey, Washington, Dakota, Scott & Carver

An important aspect of family law practice is assuring that a fair and appropriate amount of child support is provided for your child. Child support is a court-ordered obligation from one parent (or both) to the other, to help defray the costs of raising your child. Child support will help pay a share of the costs of housing for your child, food, clothing, schooling, extracurricular costs, entertainment, and travel. The calculator also factors in and apportions the costs of daycare and health, dental, and vision insurance. Child support is calculated based upon what are known as Child Support Guidelines.

If you need help determining a child support agreement that is fair to both parties and provides the child with the resources they need, Sobol Family Law can help. Call an experienced Minneapolis child support attorney today at (866) 484-4079.

How Is Child Support Determined?

Child support primarily apportions the gross incomes of both parents. It is important to have experienced counsel to help negotiate the intricacies and nuances of calculating income, appropriate adjustments to income, and framing arguments for or against requests to deviate from the child support guidelines, especially if one of the parties is self-employed. It is important to have strong and knowledgeable counsel in your corner to protect your children’s rights as well as your own.

In Minnesota, child support is determined using a guideline calculator. The calculator first considers the gross incomes of both parties, calculated after factoring in if there is a spousal maintenance payment from one parent to the other. Childcare costs as well as costs of health insurance are also included. The final number also considers how many nights of overnight parenting time each parent will exercise with each child during the year. Other factors, such as whether a parent is living with children from another relationship, may also impact the calculation. Sometimes issues are present relating to whether income should be attributed to a parent who is deemed under-employed or may not be properly reporting all self-employment income.

Factors That May Cause Courts to Deviate from Child Support Guidelines

Although the legislature has established guidelines for child support, the court may deviate above or below the guidelines depending on the facts of your case. If the obligor or the parties have substantial income above the guideline caps, and the children are accustomed to a higher standard of living, including attendance of private schools, the court may award a higher amount and provide for additional child support or make provisions for the payment of the child/children’s private school tuition, extracurricular costs, or other expenses based upon the standard of living the children would have enjoyed if the parents were still living together. 

The court may also deviate based on any extraordinary needs or disabilities the child/children may have. Conversely, if an obligor lacks the resources to pay their own expenses after paying guideline child support, the obligor may seek a downward deviation from the child support guidelines.

Brian is a knowledgeable child support attorney in Minneapolis with over 38 years of experience in navigating the nuances of determining appropriate levels of guideline child support, in assuring the proper figures are used in the calculations, and in successfully negotiating and litigation upward and downward deviations from the guidelines.

Protect Your Parental Rights with an Experienced Minneapolis Child Custody Attorney

When it comes to matters of child custody and support, it's crucial to have a knowledgeable and skilled Minneapolis child custody attorney by your side. At Sobol Family Law, we understand the importance of protecting your parental rights and ensuring the best interests of your children are met.

Our team of experienced Minneapolis child custody attorneys in Minneapolis, MN, is dedicated to helping you navigate the complexities of child custody and support cases. We have a deep understanding of the factors that may cause courts to deviate from child support guidelines and can provide you with the guidance and representation you need.

By choosing Sobol Family Law, you can expect:

• Personalized attention and support throughout the legal process
• Thorough analysis of your case to identify the factors that may affect child support
• Strong advocacy to protect your parental rights and the best interests of your children
• Negotiation skills to reach fair and favorable child custody and support agreements
• Representation in court, if necessary, to fight for your rights

Don't navigate the complexities of child custody and support cases alone. Contact Sobol Family Law today to schedule a consultation with our experienced Minneapolis child custody attorneys.

To schedule your free initial consultation, contact Sobol Family Law today.