Child Support in Nebraska
Are you worried about how to secure the child support your family needs in Nebraska? Unpaid support can make even daily necessities a struggle, leaving your child without the financial stability they deserve.
Nebraska law provides clear procedures to establish and enforce child support, but handling the process without guidance can feel overwhelming.
Finding an experienced Nebraska child support attorney can help you navigate court procedures, enforce existing orders, and ensure your child receives the financial care they need.
What Is Nebraska Child Support?
Child support is a legal obligation requiring a parent to provide financial assistance for their child’s everyday needs, including housing, food, medical care, and education. If you are the custodial parent, the court presumes that you already contribute by caring for the child in your home.
If your child lives with the other parent, Nebraska law may require you to pay support to the custodial parent. According to the Nebraska Legislature, District Courts have jurisdiction over all matters involving the custody and support of children.
In Nebraska, payments typically continue until the child reaches adulthood. They may end sooner if the court declares the child legally emancipated or the child enlists in active military service. However, if your child has special needs or requires ongoing care, you may be required to continue support beyond the age of majority.
Terminating Rights
Many parents wonder if giving up parental rights will end their obligation to pay child support. In Nebraska, termination of parental rights is only allowed under strict conditions, and courts prioritize the best interest of the child.
Nebraska law provides several grounds for termination. These include abandonment for at least six months, persistent neglect or abuse, and parental unfitness due to chronic substance abuse, mental illness, or other severe conditions. Conviction for felony sexual assault of the other parent is also a statutory ground for termination.
Even with these conditions, the court must find that terminating parental rights is in the child’s best interest. Voluntary termination is typically only approved if another individual, such as a stepparent, is prepared to adopt the child.
How a Nebraska Child Support Attorney Can Help You
If you constantly struggle to get the other parent to pay, hiring a lawyer can help you learn about your available options and guide you on the best decision for your son or daughter.
Many people struggle with parents who refuse to pay. Hiring an experienced and dedicated lawyer will bring you professional help while navigating the legal system. Additionally, you may also have an easier time getting the money your child needs and deserves to better ensure a stable childhood.
In Nebraska, child support comes through a court order, typically as part of a child custody action. You can also apply with Nebraska’s Department of Health & Human Services. Nebraska’s Child Support Enforcement Program (CSE) can order income withholding, consumer credit reporting, tax refund offset, lottery winnings intercept, and passport revocation to address payment delinquency.
The CSE may also suspend driver’s licenses or occupational licenses. Under Nebraska law, refusing to pay court-ordered child support can be considered criminal nonsupport, which may even be a felony offense.
Working with an attorney can help you to:
- Establish paternity
- Answer a child support petition
- File a petition for support
- Request a child support order
- Explain the tax consequences that come with a child support order
- Work with the other parent to reach an agreement
- Represent you in court
- Locate the other parent
- Subpoena the other parent’s financial information
- Prove income
- Determine any factors that a court will look at to calculate how much you might owe
- Educate you on the available child support enforcement options
- Give you an estimate of how much financial support you may receive from the other parent
Information to Share With Your Lawyer
Providing detailed documentation will help your attorney prepare a strong case. Important records to gather include:
- Check stubs for the last two years or more if applicable
- Outstanding debts
- Any changes in debt, such as bankruptcy filings
- Paternity records
- Adoption records
- Previous child support payment history
- Bank statements, stocks, or retirement account records
- State and federal tax returns
- Real estate purchase or sale records
- Any official child support forms you have
Nebraska calculates support using the Income Shares Model, which divides financial responsibility based on the parents’ combined income. The court relies on economic tables to estimate the cost of raising a child, factoring in items such as health insurance and childcare. The non-custodial parent typically pays their proportional share to the custodial parent.
The Nebraska Judicial Branch provides online worksheets to calculate payment obligations, and payments can be made conveniently through the Nebraska Child Support Payment Center.
Work with an Experienced Local Lawyer in Nebraska
Child support disputes can be both emotionally draining and financially damaging. You do not have to face this challenge alone. A knowledgeable Nebraska child support attorney can help you establish an order, collect overdue payments, and protect your child’s financial security.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area! We can even help you connect with an attorney across Nebraskastate lines.
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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