Fort Bend & Brazoria County Child Support Attorney
Child support can have a lasting impact on your child’s well-being and your family’s financial stability. Jamie Jordan Law helps parents establish, modify, and enforce child support orders throughout Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties.
Establishing Child Support in Texas
Child support orders are intended to help meet a child’s everyday needs, including housing, food, clothing, education, and other necessary expenses. A support order may be established during a divorce, paternity case, or separate suit involving the parent-child relationship.
Jamie Jordan Law helps parents understand their rights and financial responsibilities while pursuing a clear and appropriate support order. The firm can also address medical support, dental support, health insurance, and uninsured healthcare expenses.
How Texas Child Support Is Calculated
Texas courts generally calculate child support using the paying parent’s net monthly resources, the number of children covered by the order, and applicable statutory guidelines. The court may also consider children from other households and circumstances that could justify a different amount.
Jamie Jordan Law reviews income records, employment benefits, insurance costs, and other relevant financial information to help clients pursue an accurate calculation. Jamie also assists clients when income is disputed, irregular, self-employed, or difficult to determine.
Client Testimonials
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Modifying an Existing Support Order
A child support order may need to be reviewed when a parent’s income, employment, insurance coverage, or other circumstances significantly change. However, the payment amount does not change automatically when a parent loses a job, earns more money, or reaches an informal agreement with the other parent.
Jamie Jordan Law helps parents evaluate whether an existing order may qualify for modification and guides them through the required legal process. Until a new order is approved, the current court-ordered obligation generally remains in effect.
Enforcing Child Support Orders
When court-ordered support is not paid, the unpaid balance can create financial hardship for the receiving parent and child. Enforcement proceedings may be used to collect overdue payments and require compliance with the existing order.
Jamie Jordan Law helps clients pursue unpaid support and respond to enforcement actions. The firm guides parents through documentation, negotiations, hearings, and other steps needed to protect their rights in Fort Bend and Brazoria County courts.
Frequently
Asked Questions
How is child support calculated in Texas?
Texas courts generally begin with statutory guidelines based on the paying parent’s net resources and the number of children covered by the order. Other factors may affect the final amount, including responsibility for children in another household and the child’s particular needs.
What income may be considered for child support?
The court may review wages, salaries, commissions, overtime, bonuses, self-employment earnings, retirement benefits, and other available financial resources. Certain deductions are used when determining net resources.
Can the court order an amount different from the guidelines?
Yes. The court may order a different amount when applying the standard guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate under the circumstances. The child’s needs, each parent’s financial resources, childcare expenses, and other relevant factors may be considered.
Does equal parenting time eliminate child support?
Not automatically. Parenting time is only one consideration, and a child support order may still be entered when parents share substantial or equal possession. The result depends on the family’s circumstances and the court’s findings.
Does child support include health insurance?
A support order may include medical and dental support in addition to regular monthly child support. The order may address insurance coverage, cash medical support, and responsibility for uninsured expenses.
Can child support be increased or decreased?
A support order may be modified when the applicable legal requirements are satisfied. Changes in income, employment, health insurance, or the child’s needs may support reviewing the current order.
Does losing a job automatically reduce child support?
No. Job loss does not automatically change the court-ordered amount. A parent must request a formal modification and should continue paying as much as possible while the existing order remains in effect.
Can parents privately agree to change child support?
Parents may reach an informal agreement, but it does not replace the existing court order. A new amount must be approved through the proper legal process to become enforceable.
What happens when child support is not paid?
Unpaid child support may be addressed through enforcement proceedings. Depending on the case, enforcement methods may include income withholding, collection of certain funds, license-related actions, or court proceedings.
Can visitation be denied when child support is unpaid?
Child support and possession are separate legal obligations. A parent should not withhold court-ordered visitation solely because support has not been paid and should instead use the appropriate enforcement process.