Pasadena Child Support Attorney

If you are seeking payments or looking to come to a fair agreement, let our child support lawyers help. We assist clients serving Pasadena, San Marino, San Gabriel Valley, and Los Angeles, CA. Call (626) 653-4075 for a free consultation. 

How Is Child Support Calculated in California?

Fortunately, the California State Government provides a calculator you can use to see what sort of child support judgment you should expect from the CA court. The calculator isn't always dead-on—every child support case is different—but it is a good place to get an idea of what your child support obligations might look like.

Click here to use the official California child support calculator

To use the calculator, you'll need to access to the following information (ideally for both parents):

• Tax returns;
• Paystubs/checks that act as a form of monthly income;
• W2s or 1099s (whichever applies to you);
• Any benefits (unemployment, disability, retirement, etc.);
• Child care expenses;
• Insurance expenses;
• Any pre-existing spousal or child support orders; and
• Any extraordinary healthcare costs (for example, if you recently had cancer, you would include treatment medical costs or debt).

How the Child Support Calculator Formula Works

The calculator breaks down all these factors and estimates your California child support based on a complex formula.

• The general formula for child support in California is: CS = K (HN - (H%) (TN)) (which is why we suggest using the online calculator).
• CS stands for the end result the calculator gives you (the approximate amount of child support you'll owe).
• K stands for how much income both parents will contribute to child support (this changes depending on each parent's income and what the timeshare split looks like).
• HN stands for "high net," or the monthly disposable income of the higher-earning spouse.
• H% is the estimated amount of time the higher-earning spouse will have physical custody of the child.
• TN is the total net monthly disposable income of both parents.

While the formula used to calculate child support in Pasadena, California is complex, the outcome is often fairly intuitive. For example, whichever parent has less physical custody usually pays more in child support, especially if they're the higher-earning spouse.

The Importance of Hiring an Experienced Child Support Lawyer

As we mentioned earlier, every child support case is unique, and the results from the calculator won't be applicable for every case. That's why it's so important to have an experienced Los Angeles and Pasadena child support lawyer at your side.

Certain case-specific circumstances—like a child with special medical needs, a parent with an unusually high net income, or a parent with a history of child abuse—can all be complicating factors that affect the outcome of the child support judgment.

Ultimately, the court's goal in child support cases is simple: The judge tries to ensure that any children maintain the same quality of life post-divorce that they enjoyed while their parents were married. Having a strong Pasadena & Los Angeles child support attorney at your side through the process can help you advocate for your parental rights and pursue the best outcome for your child.

How Does California Enforce Child Support Orders?

Like most states, California takes delinquent (late or unpaid) child support payments seriously.

Some common penalties for failing to pay a child support obligation include:

• A fine of up to $1,000 and up to five days in jail;
• 120 days of community service for a first offense, and up to 240 for subsequent offenses;
• Repayment of any court fees the other parent paid for child support enforcement;
• Garnishing wages, benefits, or bank accounts until the offending party makes up for any delinquent child support; or
• Placing a lien on (or outright selling) property the offender owns.

If you are delinquent on child support payments, you should contact California Child Support Services as quickly as possible and explain your situation.

They may be able to help you arrange a payment plan and get caught up on child support so you can avoid being held in contempt by a court.

Can Child Support Arrangements Change Over Time?

Most child support arrangements change over time. For example, let's say a couple gets a divorce. The mother is the primary breadwinner, and the father is a stay-at-home parent. The mother will probably have to pay a significant amount in child support to help the father care for the child while finding a job.

Now, let's say that five years later, the father has a good job. Obviously, the mother shouldn't continue to pay the same amount of child support she provided when the father was unemployed immediately post-divorce.

As circumstances change, one or both parents may become more or less able to comply with the rules of a child support order.

If a parent experiences a substantial change in circumstances, they should file for a modification case with the court. Filing a modification child support case enables you to legally change the terms of your child support order to reflect your current circumstances more accurately.