Child Support
Divorce in Alabama involving minor children—as well as paternity cases—will lead to the necessity of child support payments made by the noncustodial parent. Like all states, Alabama requires the parents to financially support the child until the age of majority, which is 19 years old in Alabama. While both parents have a legal obligation to support children, the custodial parent (the one who has physical custody) is already doing so. The intention of child support is to ensure that child’s needs and standard of living during the marriage are met.
Child support payments are based on a complex formula involving parental income and other factors, which is why it is imperative to hire an experienced family law attorney to determine the exact monthly amount your child is owed. At White & Iverson, LLC, we can help you resolve the matter of child support. Whether you are seeking, enforcing, or contesting this issue in the courts or need assistance in establishing a payment that is fair and consistent with others in your circumstances, our Decatur child support lawyers have the knowledge, skills, and determination to help secure a favorable result.
Child Support Guidelines & Payment in Alabama
The child support formula is based on various schedules involving each parent’s adjusted gross income, the number of children being supported, and the percentage of time each parent has physical custody of the child. In some cases, payment may be adjusted based on individual circumstances.
Issues that would cause courts to deviate from the formula can include:
A parent’s having to pay unusual transportation expenses for visitation
A noncustodial parent having to care for a child significantly longer than what was ordered by the court
The child receiving other assets or income
Any other applicable or mitigating circumstances
Each child custody case in Alabama is decided on a case-by-case basis to accommodate issues that would otherwise make strict adherence to the formula unfair or inappropriate. A parent may modify an existing child support order through the courts when a material, substantial, and continuing change in circumstances occurs.
In addition, some parents simply avoid paying monthly child support—even by quitting a high-paying job in order to take a low-paying position to relieve them of child support obligations or failing to make any effort to change their financial situation. If the courts determine a parent voluntarily became unemployed or underemployed, his/her income could be imputed.
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