Child Support Lawyer in Athens and Huntsville, AL
Child Support Matters
The right of children to receive child support is so basic that the obligation by parents to provide support cannot be permanently removed by agreement, release, or judgment. Child support termination can only be accomplished by a termination of parental rights, either by adoption or otherwise.
NOTE: Failure to pay court-ordered child support can result in time in jail.
Calculating Child Support
Alabama courts ordering child support follow the “Income Shares Model.” This model estimates the total amount that an intact two-parent family would likely spend on the children, and then splits the amount proportionately between the parents according to their incomes – the parent with the higher income is responsible for a more significant percentage of support. The basic support amounts and the rules for dividing amounts between parents are set forth in Rule 32, Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration.
Modifying Child Support
A parent who wishes to modify (change) a child support order must show a substantial and ongoing change in circumstance. In general, a Court will only consider modifying (changing) a child support order if one parent is earning 10% more or less “now” than at the time the previous Order was issued or something else happened that changed the financial situation of one of the parents.