If you are a parent, you might be required to pay child support. Your child's other parent might have filed with the courts so that you will be court-ordered to pay child support, and you could be wondering if you should hire a lawyer. Hiring a lawyer is a good idea since it is a good way to make sure that things go as fairly as possible for you in court. If you schedule a meeting with a child support lawyer, these are a few tips that can help you have a good meeting.
Bring Along Any Court Paperwork
Any court paperwork that you have that relates to child custody or child support should be brought with you to your appointment. For example, if things like child custody or child support were included in your divorce or separation paperwork, you should bring it with you. If you have already been ordered to pay child support by the court, bring this documentation.
Bring Proof of Your Income
To help determine how much child support you will have to pay — and to help you ensure that you aren't ordered to pay more in child support than what is reasonable and fair, based on your income — you should bring along paycheck stubs, tax returns, and bank statements. This can help your lawyer get a clearer picture of your financial situation, and it will provide proper documentation and proof for court.
Bring Proof of Money Spent
If you have been paying child support to your child's parent in an unofficial way — such as if you send money to your child's other parent through an app — then you will want to bring proof of what you have paid. If you have paid for daycare or school tuition for your child, or other similar expenses, you should bring proof of these costs as well.
Bring Proof of Financial Hardship
If you have fallen behind on your child support payments because of some type of financial hardship, or if you are worried that you will not be able to meet your child support obligation because of the financial hardship that you are going through, then you should gather any documentation or proof that you might have. Proof that you were hospitalized for a serious illness or injury would be one example.
Make sure you follow these tips when meeting with a child support lawyer, and hopefully, your meeting and child support situation will go smoothly.
For more information, contact child support lawyers near you.
Share18 January 2022
Adopting a child is a wonderful way to bring a child into your family and give a child that needs a home a loving environment to grow up in. Unfortunately, the adoption process is not easy to get through. If you fail to file one document, the adoption can be set back by months. This blog will show you what to expect as you work your way thorough the adoption process and give you a few ideas of the things that you should leave up to your family attorney. Hopefully, what I have learned through my two adoptions will help you get through yours with no issues.
