Child Support
Los Angeles Child Support Lawyer and mediator
Determinations of child support made at the time of divorce or during a paternity case can affect both parents and children until the child’s emancipation at the age of 18 or 19. Whether you are seeking child support or you need legal help with an unfair child support order, an experienced child support lawyer and mediator can protect your rights and resolve the dispute.
At Nathans Family Law APC, we have over 25 years of extensive experience in proceedings to determine child support orders at the time of divorce or separation, and in modification proceedings when a custody or visitation schedule changes or incomes have changed. Child support attorney and mediator Michael Nathans can help you and the other parent come up with a fair amount of child support and avoid the time, expense and hassle of court.
Whether you are concerned about seeking to collect child support or need legal help to protect yourself against unfair and high child support orders, Michael Nathans can act as your consulting attorney and/or offer limited scope services to protect your interests in family court. Contact our Los Angeles law office to schedule an initial consultation.
Child Support Modification in Los Angeles
Facts and situations often change, including a parent’s income or custodial timeshare with the minor children, which may be grounds for a modification of the child support order. Attorney and mediator Michael Nathans can educate you as to your legal rights and help you obtain a new support order. Michael Nathans can mediate the child support dispute with you and the other parent so that a child support agreement can be reached in a low cost manner.
Obtaining Child Support Payments
Child support determinations are based on California’s Child Support Guidelines, taking into account the child custody arrangements, the incomes of each parent, and the needs of the child. Under California family law, both parents are responsible for providing appropriate support for their children.
As an experienced child support lawyer and mediator, Mr. Nathans’ role is to ensure that all the financial facts are sorted out in order to ensure that the child support is fair and appropriate. This is not always easy, as some parents do not present an accurate accounting of their finances and hide income. When needed, Michael Nathans can work with an investigator to uncover hidden assets and income so the child receives the support he or she is due.
Enforcement of Child Support
If you have an existing child support order and you are owed back child support, we can help you take legal action to collect unpaid child support payments. California child support law provides a number of penalties for parents who have not paid support, or who are behind on their child support payments. There are things we can do to enforce child support collections and get you the support you need.
Child Support Calculations in California
Child support is usually paid by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent to contribute to the cost of the child’s upbringing. The custodial parent is the parent with whom the child resides the majority of the time. If the child resides an equal amount of time with each parent, the parent with the lower income may still be entitled to child support. Under California child support law, payment amount is determined under statewide guidelines.
The child support formula is based on:
- Gross incomes of the parents
- Amount of time the child spends with the non-custodial parent
- Cost of childcare including health insurance
- Living situations considering other children living with either parent
Whether you are the custodial or non-custodial parent, our Los Angeles child support attorney and mediator can offer helpful counsel to make certain that your child’s rights and interests are protected.
Child Support Legal Defense
Unpaid Child Support
The State of California cracks down hard on parents who are in arrears with their child support, imposing criminal penalties, wage garnishment, and even suspending a parent’s drivers’ license to get them to pay. But sometimes, the State’s actions are wrong or unfair.
If you are having trouble making your child support payments, contact us before a financial challenge becomes a legal nightmare. We defend non-custodial parents accused of failing to pay child support or owing back support who are now facing the loss of a driver’s license. We will protect your right to work and your need for transportation.
Unfair Child Support Order
If you are likely to owe child support payments after a divorce or paternity case, we will make sure that your child support order is fair and within your means, and that you have been given all the deductions and credits you deserve.
If the other parent has lied in their initial support petition or request for modification, we will work to bring the truth to light. If they have claimed support was not paid but there is evidence that it was, we will bring that evidence to court. We have a lot of experience defending against these suits and helping people negotiate and deal with Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department.
Attorney Michael Nathans is one of the few family law attorneys who has 25+ years of significant experience handling cases where unfair child support orders or judgments have been obtained by LA County Child Support Services. We will fight to have unfair child support orders corrected and unfair judgments reversed.
The first step is hiring the best lawyer/mediator.
Whether it's divorce, child custody or child support, clients benefit from Michael Nathans' expertise in family law and his dedication to helping individuals and families successfully and cost-effectively resolve their family legal matters.
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What Clients are Saying
“He owns his reputation for being reasonable, to-the-point, a high code of ethics, and able to close the deal diplomatically but in court he demonstrates a command of the language and process.” - Larry B.
“I must say that hands down, Michael Nathans is certainly a top notch Family Law Attorney. He is very passionate, professional, experienced and extremely skilled at what he does. His counsel and expertise have proven to be so very valuable.” - LaTescia E.
“Michael Nathans has advised me on various personal matters over several years. His office is extremely good at taking complex and often emotional issues and resolving them in a favorable, timely and cost effective manner.” - C. K.
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We Want to Help You
For compassionate and result-driven family law advocacy in all family legal matters, contact Nathans Family Law APC for an initial consultation with an experienced Los Angeles attorney and mediator. We accept most credit cards.