Pgh Support Lawyer
Factors For Modifying Child Support
A child support order may be modified at any time based on a change in circumstance.
The following factors related to the child support order are considered:
- The income of either parent significantly increases or decreases;
- The child now has significant or continuing medical expenses;
- Child care and/or medical insurance changes;
- The parents are now living together; or
- The child receiving support is 18-years-old and graduated from high school.
Spivak Law Firm routinely helps people at child support hearings by providing strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation.
For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines
The Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines were developed with the principle that the children of separated, divorced or single parents should receive the same amount of parental support as if the parents were together.
The State Supreme Court issued these Guidelines for calculating how much child support a parent should pay.
The Guidelines are based on the needs of the child and the ability of the parents to provide child support until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later. The incomes and assets of both parents are considered when the court establishes a support order.
Based in Pittsburgh, Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
For more information, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
What Is Child Support?
Child support is money a parent pays to help provide food, clothing and other things for his or her child.
Child support may include:
- Medical support
- Payment of uncovered medical bills
- Contributions to child-care costs
- Contributions to extra-curricular activity expenses
The amount of child support you owe or are entitled to receive depends on a variety of factors, such as the number of children, the child custody arrangement, and how much income each parents earns.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
To schedule a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Support: Earning Capacity
Q: Do I still have to pay child support if I’m unemployed?
A: Maybe. If a parent has no income, but is capable of working, the court can order child support based on that parent’s earning capacity. In this situation, the court may estimate what the unemployed parent could earn given his or her education, skills and prior employment history.
Other factors involve the child-custody arrangement and each parent’s expenses relative to their income levels.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, Protection From Abuse (PFA), and Children Youth and Families (CYF). To schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
4 Reasons to Modify Child Support
Either parent may seek to modify a child support order at any time. The moving party will need to show a substantial change of circumstances occurred since the final order was entered by the court.
What constitutes a substantial change of circumstances?
Common examples include:
- One parent gets more custody time
- One parent gets a significant pay increase
- One parent gets laid off from work
- A child seeks to participate in a new extra-curricular activity
Do not voluntarily quit a job to avoid paying child support, as a court can assign an earning capacity based on past income levels.
To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Support and Social Security Disability
Are Social Security Disability benefits includable as income for support purposes? It depends what kind of disability benefits you receive. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are includable in “income” as defined by Pennsylvania law; but Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are not income for support purposes.
Whether you qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) depends on your work history. To qualify for SSD benefits, you must have paid into the Social Security system by working for a certain amount of time. To qualify for SSI benefits, you need not have any work history at all. Unlike SSD, SSI is similar to a welfare program. SSI recipients must be disabled and have a monthly income that does not exceed a certain level.
To speak with a Pittsburgh family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.