Are you looking for a local child support attorney to answer your questions? You have reached the right place. In Michigan, child support is a financial payment that is made to the custodial parent of the child to help with the financial burdens of raising the child. Although only one person pays a formal child support payment, it is implied that the custodial parent also incurs costs in raising the child, since the child does live with that parent. The following paragraphs were written in simplistic fashion to give the reader an idea of what child support if. Please call the Divorce Attorneys of Michigan for a more in-depth conversation about child support and learn about your rights.
Child support is often sought and granted by the presiding judge in a divorce proceeding. Child support may also be ordered when a single parent seeks it, without having been married. The idea behind the child support system is to provide the custodial parent a stream of revenue to help in raising that child. Michigan laws provide for a formula that is used by the courts to determine how much in child support must be paid.
Paying child support is always tough. For starters, the amount is usually a fairly sizeable portion of your income. Paying child support is seldom an easy task; for one, you’re likely sending a check to the mother or father of your child and there is no guarantee that money is being spent on the child. Failure to pay child support can have some serious repercussions.
In Michigan, as in other states, a number of different parental statuses would trigger the obligation to pay child support, if sought and the circumstances are proper. The first of these are the natural, or adoptive parents. Contrary to popular belief, this obligation would extend to the mother as well, if the father was the custodial parent and the other elements necessary pursuant to the formula are satisfied. The father of a child that was born out of wedlock would also be responsible for paying child support. In most cases, there is no obligation on behalf of an unrelated parent figure to pay child support, unless the relationship resembles one of a parent (equitable parent doctrine).
The child support formula is required to be used by the courts in determining what the child support payments would be. The formula was created with the idea to have a fair system of distributing payments to a custodial parent for use in raising the child. However, sometimes this isn’t the case. The formula is fairly complex and is provided for in a guideline on the Michigan court’s website. The guideline provides charts, graphs and explanations on how to compute child support payment obligations.
The court may deviate from using the formula is it found the result to be unjust or inappropriate. If the court decides to deviate from the formula, it must state the following in writing: (a) the child support amount yielded by the formula, (b) how the final support amount deviates from the child support formula, (c) the value awarded instead of cash, if applicable, and (d) the reasons that the amount resulting from the formula were unjust or inappropriate.
If you have any questions or would like to speak with a Michigan child support attorney, please give us a call today at (248) 785-3634 to schedule your free consultation. During your consultation, a child support lawyer will guide you through the child support guidelines and answer any questions you may have about the topic.
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