Child Support in Tuscaloosa, AL

Child support can be a lifeline for custodial parents in Tuscaloosa that are attempting to get their feet under them after a separation, divorce, or custody battle. Not paying court ordered child support, while illegal, can also be detrimental to the child or children involved. If you are dealing with someone who is refusing to pay court ordered child support, you may want to engage the services of an experienced attorney in Tuscaloosa to help you recover what is owed.

What Is Child Support?

Child support is a financial obligation that a parent has to pay to support her or his child. This continues as they age and mature. Are you the parent who has custody of your son or daughter currently? If so, then the court will assume that the child receives full financial support while residing in your residence.

However, if your child does not live in your house and she or he is not currently under your custody, the court may require you to pay child support to the custodial parent. Most child support cases in Alabama are the purview of the Circuit Courts. So if you find yourself in the midst of a child support case in Tuscaloosa, you will most likely have to appear before the 6th Judicial Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa.

In , Alabama this means that you have to make payments to the custodial parent until your child reaches adulthood. There are other situations where you may only have to make payments until the courts have legally declared your child as emancipated or your daughter or son goes into military active duty. Keep in mind that if your child has special needs, there may be a requirement that you have to make child support payments past the legal age of adulthood.

Terminating Rights

Do you wonder if you can terminate your parental rights and not pay child support? Most states will not allow a parent to do this and cease support unless certain requirements are met. There may be some situations where a court terminates financial responsibilities if both parents agree that one party no longer has to provide financial support to their shared son or daughter. One situation where a parent may be able to terminate her or his responsibility to child support is if someone else, like a stepparent, adopts the child.

The Alabama Administrative Code states that parental rights can be terminated or revoked for a number of reasons. However, this process is different from a parent surrendering their parental rights so that their child can be adopted by someone else. The court strips individuals of their parental rights for actions such as negligence or abandonment. Residents of Tuscaloosa can also be stripped of their rights if they are found guilty of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or found the be using drugs and alcohol excessively so that it endangers the child.

Do you believe that the other parent has violated your rights to receive child support? Then get immediate legal help from an experienced Tuscaloosa lawyer on standby in your area who can help you fight for your child’s right to financial stability.

How a Tuscaloosa, Alabama 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.

The Alabama Department of Human Resources takes proactive steps to help parents collect child support. If you have fallen behind, or are deliberately refusing to pay court ordered child support, there are several methods this office will use to ensure your compliance. The ADHR could garnish wages, suspend or revoke driver’s licenses, or report your failure to pay to credit bureaus. In addition, you could face jail time for failure to pay child support.

Whether you look to receive child support payments as a part of an agreed-upon divorce settlement or you are not married and look to receive financial support, hiring a legal professional in Tuscaloosa with a background in child support can help to streamline the entire process. Without the help of a legal advocate, the cost of living can quickly drain your bank account and involve traumatic experiences for your unsupported children.

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 your assets and their value
• 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

Do you believe that you deserve to receive payment from the other parent or that you are not receiving a sufficient amount? If you have to answer, yes, then make every effort to avoid missing what your kid deserves. Work with a dedicated Tuscaloosa, Alabama lawyer who fights for your rights as well as your child’s rights.

Information to Share With Your Lawyer

As you work with your lawyer, make sure you share proper documentation to better ensure that you can properly proceed with your case in Tuscaloosa. The information that you need to share with your attorney includes:

• Check stubs for the last two years or more if applicable
• Outstanding debts
• A change in debt, such as filing for bankruptcy
• Paternity records
• Adoption records
• Previous child support payment records
• Bonds, stocks or any retirement account records
• Tax return records
• Purchase of sale records for a home, land or any other type of assets
• Any child support forms that you have

Tuscaloosa residents are subject to an Income Shares Model when determining the amount of child support that is due. Child support is generally calculated by factoring income from both parents, payments made from previous marriages, number of children, age of children, and payments for ancillary child care like a nanny or daycare.

In addition, the court will consider how medical bills, insurance premiums, and even school costs factor into each payment plan. An established attorney in Tuscaloosa can best help you stand up for yourself, and navigate the child support process.

Work with an Experienced Local Lawyer in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Are you facing a costly and emotional child support battle? Talk to a Tuscaloosa attorney equipped to help you in this delicate situation. Call now or fill out the simple form below to take steps to protect your children’s interests. Learn more about your child support law options below.

One of our expert Tuscaloosa attorneys will help to navigate you through the legal system to get you the money you and your kid should have. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Alabama state lines.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!