Child Support Attorney Lexington KY
Our office is located in the Hisle Building on the corner of East High and Rose Street.
Lexington, Kentucky courts calculate child support based on the Kentucky Child Support Guidelines. Kentucky's guidelines consider the income of the children's mother and father, the number of children subject to child support, certain expenses incurred by each party, and various other factors. After inputting these figures into the guideline calculations, a final child support amount is determined. The purpose behind these calculations is attempting to provide the children with the same amount of monetary support they enjoyed while their parents were still married.
Although the KY Child Support Guidelines often dictate the child support amount that the non-custodial parent must pay to the custodial parent, there are certain exceptions. For example, if the parties agree to (or are awarded) true joint custody with relatively equal parenting times, and if the parties have relatively equal income, one party may want to argue for a deviation from the child support guidelines amount. If the parties have relatively equal responsibility for the children with relatively equal income, it makes logical sense to reduce the child support obligation amount accordingly. Even if the parties have relatively equal parenting times with the children, a significant disparity in income may cause the court to give greater deference to the child support guidelines calculations. As you can probably imagine, there are no hard and fast rules for these types of arguments.
One common fear is that a soon-to-be former spouse won't be spending the child support payments on the kids. Point taken. However, you cannot look at child support this way. Instead, you have to take child support for what it is - you are supporting your kids by paying it. Even if your former spouse doesn't keep your money segregated for the specific purpose of the children, he or she is likely putting your child support money toward the kids in some way or fashion. This is particularly the case if one parent has significantly less time with the children. Kids are expensive, and there are many costs you forget about. Clothes, shoes, food, medicine, educational fees, haircuts... The list goes on and on. Having said that, if you end up having to pay child support in Lexington, KY, you may also be entitled to a reduction in your child support amount as described above depending on your specific situation. Under certain circumstances, as identified above, child support may not be necessary.
Another important distinction is knowing that your child support is not the same thing as "alimony" or "maintenance." Those topics are discussed on other pages in this website.
If you (or a loved one) need a divorce attorney in Lexington KY to help you with any divorce related issues (including child support), contact Lexington Divorce Attorney Breck Norment for a free consultation. He can be reached 24/7 at 859-303-6007.
Although the KY Child Support Guidelines often dictate the child support amount that the non-custodial parent must pay to the custodial parent, there are certain exceptions. For example, if the parties agree to (or are awarded) true joint custody with relatively equal parenting times, and if the parties have relatively equal income, one party may want to argue for a deviation from the child support guidelines amount. If the parties have relatively equal responsibility for the children with relatively equal income, it makes logical sense to reduce the child support obligation amount accordingly. Even if the parties have relatively equal parenting times with the children, a significant disparity in income may cause the court to give greater deference to the child support guidelines calculations. As you can probably imagine, there are no hard and fast rules for these types of arguments.
One common fear is that a soon-to-be former spouse won't be spending the child support payments on the kids. Point taken. However, you cannot look at child support this way. Instead, you have to take child support for what it is - you are supporting your kids by paying it. Even if your former spouse doesn't keep your money segregated for the specific purpose of the children, he or she is likely putting your child support money toward the kids in some way or fashion. This is particularly the case if one parent has significantly less time with the children. Kids are expensive, and there are many costs you forget about. Clothes, shoes, food, medicine, educational fees, haircuts... The list goes on and on. Having said that, if you end up having to pay child support in Lexington, KY, you may also be entitled to a reduction in your child support amount as described above depending on your specific situation. Under certain circumstances, as identified above, child support may not be necessary.
Another important distinction is knowing that your child support is not the same thing as "alimony" or "maintenance." Those topics are discussed on other pages in this website.
If you (or a loved one) need a divorce attorney in Lexington KY to help you with any divorce related issues (including child support), contact Lexington Divorce Attorney Breck Norment for a free consultation. He can be reached 24/7 at 859-303-6007.