Child Support Attorney Vancouver, WA

Washington law sets out a presumptive child support amount, based upon the income of the parties and the age of the child/children. The parents’ percentage of that presumptive amount is what the non-custodial parent will pay as base child support. From there, other expenses and credits are allocated between the parents, such as daycare expenses; medical insurance payments; uninsured medical expenses; long distance transportation expenses.

Believe it or not, income can be heavily disputed. If both parents have been working steadily for a lengthy period of time then income can be a much easier proposition. However, when income is dependent on work performance/sales figures then income can be more difficult to nail down. Obviously if there is a steady body of work (a year or more) that paints a steady picture that is helpful but not always definitive.

If one or both parents have not been working, then the question becomes should the court impute income to the non-working aren’t, and if so in what amount? Imputing income means to assign them a monthly income amount even though they are not actually working right now. If a parent has voluntarily reduced their income in an attempt to lower child support that needs to be litigated to ensure that maximum support is paid for support. At the same time, sometimes things happen in waives and it can appear that a parent has reduced their income to lower their child support obligation, but that really isn’t the case. Presenting the entire set of circumstances to the judge can be paramount in ensuring that you are not unfairly determined to be voluntarily unemployed and as a result, have a higher child support obligation than what you are actually earning at that time. Other examples of income issues include bonuses paid for work on a regular or irregular basis, particularly if a person is self-employed. A thorough examination of business and pay records can make the difference between success and failure when it comes to proving income. Our Child Support Attorney from The Law Office of Nicholas Wood can help with all of those issues.​​

Residential time also plays and important role in child support. A parent can receive deviations from the presumed support level for reasons such as having the child/children more than the usual non-residential parent, which is typically more than 90 overnights per year. Negotiating or successfully litigating for a parenting plan that results in more than 90 overnights per year pays dividends on many levels. Other factors include consideration of income of a new spouse or new domestic partner; child support received from other relationships; gifts; prizes; possession of wealth, extraordinary income of the child; nonrecurring income; debt and high expenses. The Law Office of Nicholas Wood will present every possible reason to either lower your child support or maximize the child support the non-residential parent pays you.​

Child support can seem simple enough to come up with at first glance, but can be tricky in its application. The Law Office of Nicholas Wood, P.S., is a zealous divorce lawyer and advocate for its clients and will do everything it can to maximize your chances of success in this critically important area for you. Washington law sets out a presumptive child support amount, based upon the income of the parties and the age of the child/children. The parents’ percentage of that presumptive amount is what the non-custodial parent will pay as base child support. From there, other expenses and credits are allocated between the parents, such as daycare expenses; medical insurance payments; uninsured medical expenses; long distance transportation expenses. Believe it or not, these issues can be heavily disputed. Child Support Attorney from The Law Office of Nicholas Wood, P.S. can help you evaluate and litigate your divorce issues Contact us today. ​

Circumstances change over time. You may be laid off, fired or otherwise have reduced income. This potentially would be a basis to reduce your child support obligation. In the alternative, perhaps the non-custody spouse has received raises over a period of time, or the child support guidelines have changed since you entered your child support obligation. Our Child Support Attorney from The Law Office of Nicholas Wood, P.S. can help you evaluate and litigate those issues. ​