Sapulpa Child Support Lawyer

Whether you’re establishing a child support order for the first time upon getting a divorce in Sapulpa from your child’s other parent or you need to request a modification, the process will be easier if you hire a Sapulpa child support lawyer to help.

Trust Bundy Law

The team here at Bundy Law is comprised of many acclaimed legal professionals, including the only International Academy of Family Lawyers attorney in Oklahoma. Our Sapulpa family lawyers take every child support case that comes our way with the utmost seriousness and can provide aggressive representation that protects your rights and interests as well as your child’s well-being.

Why Hire a Child Support Lawyer?

There are roughly 8,960 households in Sapulpa, OK. Around 59% of them are occupied by married couples, but another 16% are owned by female householders, and 9% are owned by male householders. Around 35% of children in Oklahoma live in single-parent households. These children deserve the support they need to thrive, including financial support from both parents.

If you’re having trouble navigating the complex world of child support, you can hire a child support lawyer to help you file paperwork, collect documentation, and argue your case before a judge. Your attorney will understand child support laws and how to apply them to different cases. They’ll be able to make sure your parental rights and financial interests are represented when the child support case goes to court.

Who Receives Child Support?

Children receive child support if their parents are divorced or separated. In Oklahoma, child support is calculated by adding the incomes of both parents and using that total to determine a set child care financial obligation. This amount is then divided by each parent’s percentage of income and adjusted to account for factors such as parenting time, the child’s medical needs, and other considerations.

How to Request Child Support

Child support will come up automatically as part of the divorce proceedings. However, if you were never married to your child’s other parent and you choose to separate, you’ll have to request a child support order. You can do this by submitting an Application for Child Support Services Overview to the Oklahoma Central Case Registry.

The Oklahoma Central Case Registry will calculate the amount of child support required, and a judge will then issue a child support order. Both parents are required by law to comply with this court order. Failure to do so can place you in contempt of court.

Parents must pay child support until the child turns 18 or, if the child is still in high school, until age 20. There is, however, one exception. Child support payments must continue indefinitely if the person can’t support themselves as a result of a physical or mental disability.

When to Request a Child Support Modification

Courts can modify existing child support orders if the parents’ circumstances or the child’s needs have changed. Valid reasons to request a modification to a child support order include:

• You got fired or laid off
• You took a new job with different wages
• You took on an additional job
• The other parent’s income has changed
• Your child’s needs are different
• You have additional children to support
• You go to jail or prison
• You become disabled
• You are deployed on active military duty

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve taken on a new job at a large local employer like Berry Global or have become disabled and unable to work. You’ll need to provide proof of the change before the court will grant you a modification. Depending on what type of change in circumstance you have experienced, you can expect to be asked to provide proof of:

• Income
• Personal expenses
• Child care expenses
• Healthcare expenses
• Prison or jail status
• Disability status
• Current child custody agreements

Even if you’re having a hard time making child support payments, you should continue making them until the court order goes through.

FAQs

How Far Behind Can You Get in Child Support Before a Warrant Is Issued?

You can’t get very far behind in child support before a warrant is issued in Oklahoma. Technically, just one missed payment is enough to have you held in contempt of court. This criminal offense will be charged as a misdemeanor unless you meet the criteria for the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act, in which case you could be charged with a felony.

What Is the Lowest You Can Pay for Child Support?

There is no fixed lowest amount you can pay for child support in Oklahoma. The amount you’ll have to pay depends on how much you and the child’s other parent make. If you’re not sure what you should expect to pay, you can use the State’s Child Support Computation calculator to determine the correct amount or contact a Sapulpa child support attorney to discuss your options.

How Do You Avoid Child Support in Oklahoma?

You can’t avoid child support in Oklahoma. You’re legally obligated to pay the amount ordered by the judge to your child’s other parent each month unless you get another court order that modifies your payments. You can request a modification if you are earning significantly less than you did when the initial payments were calculated, or if the other parent agrees to a deviation from the guidelines.

Can Parents Agree to No Child Support in Oklahoma?

Parents can agree to no child support in Oklahoma in certain circumstances. Neither parent may receive DHS assistance, and the parents must prove to a judge why they should be granted a deviation from the State’s standard guidelines. A judge will only approve the deviation if it’s deemed to be in the child’s best interests.

Your Sapulpa Child Support Lawyer

Whether you feel that you’re not getting enough in child support or you’re paying more than you can afford, a Sapulpa child support lawyer can help. The team here at Bundy Law knows child support laws inside and out. We’ve been in practice for years and have taken on countless child support cases. We can assist you with resolving yours, too. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.