As a parent, you have a duty to provide financial support to your child. When you and your child’s other parent no longer live together, that duty usually becomes formalized through a court order for child support.

At Premier Family Law Group, we understand how much your children mean to you and how important it is to you that they have the support they need. Our child support lawyer team has decades of experience in Virginia family law, including the most complex and challenging child support matters. We are prepared to help you arrive at a solution that is right for your family.

Understanding Virginia Child Support

Unlike many aspects of a divorce or child custody matter, which can be left to the parties to decide on, child support is determined according to the Virginia Child Support Guidelines, set forth in the Virginia Code. These guidelines are designed to ensure that child support is calculated in a way that is consistent, predictable, efficient, and fair. The application of a formula also reduces the potential for conflict over the amount of support to be paid.

There is a presumption that the amount of child support determined by application of the guidelines is correct, but this presumption can be overcome if one parent or party presents sufficient evidence that the application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in their case.

Factors that go into the calculation of child support include:

  • Custody arrangement, with different sets of guidelines for sole custody (where children live exclusively or primarily with one parent); shared custody (where both parents have the children at least 90 days per year); and split custody (where each parent is the primary custodian of one or more of their shared children).
  • Each parent’s gross monthly income, including salaries, wages, commissions, royalties, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, trust income, annuities, capital gains, certain Social Security benefits, workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, veterans benefits, most rental income, and gifts, prizes, and awards. A party’s income is often not straightforward, including in cases where a party is self-employed or a business owner, and in cases where a party asserts that their unemployed spouse is capable of working.
  • The cost of health care coverage for the children, including vision and dental care.
  • Child care costs that are due to the employment of the custodial parent.
  • The amount of child support either parent pays for other children, such as children from prior relationships.
  • If spousal support is paid, it reduces the gross income of the payor and increases the gross income of the payee

The calculation arrived at by the guidelines is only as accurate as the data used to reach that conclusion. An experienced child support lawyer is invaluable in ensuring that the Child Support Guidelines yield an appropriate amount of support.

Child support can be modified, but there must be a material change in circumstances, such as a significant shift in a parent’s income, a child’s needs, or the custody arrangement. Because child support is not easy to modify, it’s important to work with a skilled child support attorney to ensure the court orders the correct amount of child support to begin with.

The guidance and advocacy of a child support lawyer is even more crucial in a high net worth divorce where a party is seeking a deviation from the guidelines. An attorney’s help is also essential if you believe that the other party is voluntarily reducing their income to avoid support obligations, or concealing or underreporting income to affect the calculation of child support.

Work with an Experienced Child Support Lawyer

The issue of child support exists at the intersection of two other contentious issues: money and your relationship with your children. Whether you are dealing with support issues as part of a divorce or custody case, or seeking to enforce or modify a support obligation, it’s important to have the right legal help: a child support lawyer who can explain Virginia law and your options, giving you the information you need to navigate the legal process with confidence.

Attorneys David Zangrilli and Kristina Cruz have nearly 40 years’ combined experience in Virginia family law, much of it guiding the family law department of one of Virginia’s largest law firms. They are not only trustworthy counselors, they are experienced litigators, ready to advocate for your interests in court if needed.

At Premier Family Law Group, we prepare every child support case thoroughly, and we know the details of every case inside and out, so we can achieve the right outcome for you and your children.

Contact an Experienced Virginia Child Support Lawyer

To learn more about child support in Virginia, or to get help with your child support issues, contact Premier Family Law Group. 571-336-5263