In Need of Child Support Lawyers in Lafayette, Louisiana?
At Southern Oaks Law Firm, our Lafayette child support attorneys know there is a lot of confusion about who pays what expenses after parents go their separate ways. Whether you are getting divorced, parting ways with your child’s other parent, or establishing financial support for an adopted or shared surrogacy child, we can help.
Our attorney focuses exclusively on providing advice and services regarding Louisiana family law issues. We stay informed about the latest legal developments and changes in guidelines, which allow us to provide our clients with the highest quality service in all aspects of their cases.
We have successfully managed hundreds of family law cases and provide customized child support legal solutions for Louisiana residents, regardless of their age, race, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Because of that, we know that no two families are alike, nor do they have the same family law needs. Although we may not all look alike, we understand that partnering with the right Louisiana family lawyer is an important decision that will help shape your future.
Our mission is to facilitate fresh starts for our clients, by providing them with the education, support, and guidance they need to make it through the family law process and move forward with their lives in a healthier and happier way.
We produce real results for real people, no matter their family law journeys, because every step you take from this point forward matters. And because it matters to you, it matters to us.
Contact us today to learn more.
What is Child Support in Louisiana?
Under Louisiana Law, parents generally have a duty to support their minor children through an obligation to provide financial assistance called child support. When parents separate, a child support order seeks to ensure that each parent remains financially responsible for the child’s health, education, and welfare.
How is the Amount of Child Support Determined in Louisiana?
The Louisiana child support guidelines are used to determine who owes child support and what amount they owe. The Guidelines provide formulas used to calculate child support, and the amount provided by the Guidelines is presumed to be the correct amount of child support. However, the Louisiana family court may deviate on a case-by-case basis Further, under certain circumstances, the court may review and approve a stipulation between the parties. The recommended child support order will be based on several different factors as outlined in the guidelines. Those factors include:
- The number of children the parents share.
- Both parents’ gross incomes.
- Net childcare costs.
- Children’s health insurance costs.
- Extraordinary expenses, including private school and extracurricular activities.
- Extraordinary medical expenses, including those for children with special needs.
At Southern Oaks Law Firm, Our Lafayette Family Law Lawyer Also Focuses On The Following Practice Areas:
How is Louisiana Child Support Awarded?
If you are pursuing child support in Louisiana through a divorce proceeding or a separate action, the court can determine who owes the other parent financial support and what amount is owed. Depending on the nature of your custody arrangement, you and your family law or child support lawyer will complete one of two worksheets to determine the amount of child support you are due or perhaps the amount you will owe.
- Worksheet “A” will be utilized to calculate child support when the parties do not share custody equally.
- Worksheet “B” will be considered when the parties equally (50/50) share custody.
Can the Paying Parent Dictate How Child Support is Spent in Louisiana?
No. Louisiana child support is designed to cover everyday living expenses for children whose parents have gone their separate ways. Financial support from one parent to the other provides the children with the opportunity to maintain a similar standard of living they enjoyed from both parents before the separation or divorce. Child support can be used to help cover the costs of raising a child, including the expenses associated with food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and other educational needs.
How Can I Enforce a Louisiana Child Support Order?
If you have been awarded child support, and the other parent is not paying, you may enforce the child support order through the Louisiana family court.
The court can take various enforcement actions, including wage garnishment, interception of tax refunds, suspension of driver’s license, passport denial, and even jail time.
Can a Louisiana Child Support Order Be Modified?
A sufficient change in one parent’s financial situation or other circumstances may justify a modification of a previous child support order. Our Lafayette family lawyer can help you understand how the court’s initial decision to allocate child support can be changed based on your unique circumstances.
How Long Does Child Support Last in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, child support gets paid until the child reaches the age of 18 or gets emancipated.
Child support payments may continue past the age of 18 if:
- The child is unmarried, a full-time student in good standing who has not graduated from high school and is dependent on one parent until the age of 19 or until graduation, whichever occurs first.
- The child is 22 if the child has a developmental disability and is a full-time student.
- The child is an unmarried adult who requires substantial care or personal supervision due to a mental or physical disability that occurred before their 18th birthday and is incapable of supporting him/herself.
Is Child Support Taxable in Louisiana?
No, for both parents. A paying parent may not deduct child support expenses when calculating taxes, and the recipient does not need to pay federal tax on child support payments.
What Happens if I Pursue Child Support from a Father Who Does Not Admit to Being the Other Parent?
Under Louisiana law, the father of a child born outside of marriage is not responsible for child support until they are legally found to be the father.
If the father signed an Affidavit of Paternity (AOP) when the child was born, he is legally viewed as the child’s father going forward.
If an alleged father refused to sign an AOP, or was not present for the birth, and is now being sought for child support, our child support attorneys in Louisiana can ask the court to determine paternity through genetic testing.
Can One Louisiana Family Law Firm Manage My Entire Case if it Involves More Than Child Support?
At Southern Oaks Law Firm, we provide full-service family law representation, meaning we offer comprehensive legal advice, guidance, and solutions for all aspects of your family law case.
In most cases, our fellow Louisiana residents are unsure what their family law needs entail, which is exactly why we are here. We will work with you to identify and strategically outline each aspect of your case that needs to be addressed — including divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, the division of community property, and other issues that may arise in your case — without leaving a single detail to chance.
Our Lafayette Parish family law attorneys and support staff use both our personal and legal experience, and the resources available by Louisiana law to present calculated, real-time advice that produces long-term, sustainable solutions for our clients.
Our team shares some of our clients’ personal experiences, including those of an unmarried dad navigating and enforcing child custody rights, a married father solidifying the well-being of a blended family, and a mother that has been through the divorce process. These real-life experiences allow us to directly connect with our clients and provide compassionate client service and tailored solutions meant to secure a fresh start for their future.
We achieve our clients’ legal objectives through open and honest communication, individual case planning and preparation, and systems designed to produce consistent, quality results for you and your family. We believe positive outcomes come from partnerships based on trust, loyalty, respect, and determination — not combative, unproductive talks with the other party that prolongs the process.
Our family lawyers will listen to each detail of your story, and actually hear you because we are you. We understand the physical, emotional, and financial impact divorce, child custody, and property division matters have on your personal and professional life because we have been there too. Together, we can turn your family law matter into a positive experience and facilitate a fresh start for you and your family.
Answers To Your Child Support Questions
Are you concerned about how you will provide for your child’s health, education and welfare following your divorce? Do you need help establishing or enforcing a child support order? At Southern Oaks Law Firm, Lafayette attorney Taylor Fontenot helps parents across Acadiana address child support issues in a friendly and effective manner. Give Taylor a call today to discuss your options at 337-704-7255.
Frequently Asked Child Support Questions*
What is Child Support?
Child support is an obligation to provide financial assistance for the raising of your minor child. Under Louisiana Law, parents generally have a duty to support their minor children. When parents separate, a child support order seeks to ensure that each parent remains financially responsible for the child’s health, education and welfare.
Who Owes Child Support?
The Louisiana child support guidelines set forth a rebuttable presumption as to who owes child support and what amount they owe. A court may deviate from the guidelines only if they find the result is inequitable or not in the best interest of the child. Further, under certain circumstances, the court may review and approve a stipulation between the parties.
The recommended child support order will be based on a number of different factors as set forth in the guidelines. Those factors include:
- Number of children
- The parties’ gross Incomes
- Net child care costs
- Children’s health insurance costs
- Extraordinary expenses (private school, extracurriculars, etc.)
- Extraordinary medical expenses (ADD/ADHD, ongoing medical expenses related to disability, etc.)
How Do I Get Child Support?
In your divorce proceeding or a separate action, the court can determine who owes child support and what amount is owed. Depending on the nature of your custody arrangement, you and your family law or child support lawyer will complete one of two worksheets to determine the amount of child support you are due or perhaps the amount you will owe.
Generally, a Worksheet “A” will be utilized to calculate child support when the parties do not share custody equally. On the other hand, a Worksheet “B” will be considered when custody is shared equally (50/50) by the parties.
Can the Support Order Be Modified?
A change in your financial situation or other circumstances may justify a modification of a previous child support order. In general, an award for child support can be modified if there has been a sufficient change in your circumstances between the time of the previous order and the time modification is requested. Ask a local family law or child support lawyer if a modification is appropriate for your specific situation.
Contact Our Dedicated Child Support Attorneys in Lafayette, Louisiana Today
At Southern Oaks Law Firm, our forward-thinking family lawyers and support staff know where you are in life right now is hard. No matter who you are or what your legal journey entails, we are here to help you pursue a positive outcome for you and your family. We take a sincere approach to helping our clients move forward as smoothly as possible with sustainable legal solutions that fit their unique needs.
Contact our child support attorneys in Lafayette, Louisiana today by calling 337-704-7255 or online to discuss your legal journey with someone who cares about your future.
