Portland Child Support Attorney

Experienced Child Support Lawyers Serving Portland, Oregon

Portland Child Support LawyerIn most cases involving children, the law requires that one or both parties pay to support those children. Normally the parent with less time with the minor children will pay child support to the other parent. In cases with children ages 18-21 who are attending college, the court may order both parents to pay support directly to the child. The amount of child support is based on a formula in an online calculator, which considers each party’s gross income, parenting time, cost of health care for the children, cost of childcare, and union dues paid by each parent. The amount generated by the online calculator is presumed to be the correct amount of child support. However, certain rebuttal factors may apply in your case, which can result in an increase or decrease in child support.

Talk to our Portland child support attorney today about your child support questions.

What To Expect In An Oregon Child Support Consultation

We meet with all potential clients in person for the first consultation. This allows us to meet potential clients and hear the background of each case, to determine if your case is a good fit for our office, and to provide information about a client’s rights and responsibilities under Oregon law. We offer this initial consultation for a flat fee.

When starting the process for finding a lawyer, potential clients often ask “who is the best lawyer in Oregon for child support issues” or the “who is the best child support lawyer in Portland?” The answer is the lawyer who gets the results you need. Like the rest of family law, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to selecting a family law attorney. The best attorney for you is the one who listens to your circumstances, provides solid legal advice, and facilitates and achieves your goals. Contact one of our Portland divorce lawyers today to set up a consultation.

Child Support Lawyer In Portland, Oregon

In the state of Oregon, both parents will be responsible for the financial support and wellbeing of their children. In the case of divorce, the parent with less parenting time (or higher income in the case of equal parenting time) will typically be the one to pay child support to the other parent for their share of the financial costs of raising the couple’s children.

How Long Does Child Support Last?

Child support will continue until each child reaches the age of 18 or up until the age of 21 if a child is enrolled at least half-time in college or another educational or training program. In Oregon, we are one of only a handful of states that allow adult children over the age of 18 to qualify for continuing child support. In this case, the support payments will be made directly to the child. These payments will stop once the child marries, joins the military, or otherwise becomes emancipated.

It is important to note that child support applies to couples who are unmarried as well as married. However, paternity must be established before child support can be ordered.

How Is The Amount Of Child Support Determined In Oregon?

In the case of divorce, your Portland divorce attorney will ask for a support order as part of the divorce proceeding if you have children. Child support may also be ordered or modified outside of divorce, depending on circumstances and need.

The court strives to do what is best for the children when determining child support. Consequently, the amount of your child support is determined by child support guidelines and calculations set by the Oregon Child Support Program.

In Oregon, child support is calculated considering:

  • The income of each parent
  • Whether there are other non-joint children
  • Other financial benefits and obligations
  • The way the parents share physical custody, i.e. “parenting time” or “visitation”
  • The number of children
  • The costs of child care and additional costs
  • Health insurance costs

These calculations are meant to be “just and appropriate” for establishing child support obligations and fair to both parties. However, although these calculations are made to be simple, straightforward, and fair, the support amount or the way child support is divided may not be reasonable in certain circumstances.

There may be exceptions to the Oregon Child Support Program calculations when:

  • One parent has other available resources
  • One parent has a financial hardship
  • One parent is unemployed
  • One parent must stay at home with the child
  • The child has moved away from home
  • The child’s needs have changed or special needs exist
  • There are additional financial costs to support a child who is attending school
  • Other financial setbacks or advantages

Before the child support, the order is finalized, parents may request that these other costs be considered in a deviation of the Oregon Child Support Program calculations. Parents may also request a child support modification to accommodate these scenarios after a support order has already been implemented.

Getting The Representation Of A Skilled Child Support Lawyer In Portland

Because child support can be a financial sticking point during a divorce, having skilled representation ensures that all parties address what is in the best interests of the children instead of becoming a financial battle between the parents.

If you are looking to modify an existing child support agreement or feel you qualify for a deviation from the standard guidelines of the Oregon Child Support Program, the experienced Portland child support attorneys at Jill Brittle Family Law Group can help. We have skillfully negotiated to create fair child support agreements that benefit both children and parents alike. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your child support concerns and issues to look at legal options available to remedy them.