Pittsburgh Child Support Law | Allegheny Child Support

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Child Support - What factors are considered, how much will be owed?

How much support?

How much support?

Our Pittsburgh child support lawyers handle child support cases throughout Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania. Our attorneys can assist with filing for child support or a modification of child support. We handle child support conferences and child support hearings for legal matters arising in Allegheny County and the surrounding area. If you have questions about Pennsylvania child support law, or Pennsylvania child support guidelines, we would be happy to speak to you.

Call today for a consultation - 412.303.9566.

In Pennsylvania child support is governed by a fairly rigid set of guidelines which set forth a recommended amount of child support based on the respective net monthly income of the parties. Once the net incomes of both parents are established, the number of children is included, and after factoring in certain additional expenses and deducting others, a monthly guideline amount of support is calculated. This amount will then be further divided by the percentage of overnight by custody each parent. The parent receiving child support is called the obligee, and the parent paying child support is referred to as the obligor.

Any parent seeking child support through the court may initiate the process by filing a complaint for support. Thereafter, a conference and/or hearing will be scheduled, during which the parties will go to court to formally address the support amount.

If the parents share physical custody of the child, the higher wage earning parent will be responsible for providing the lower wage earning parent with child support. The amount of support owed can be affected by the custodial time each parent has, in that there may be a downward deviation in the amount of support owed if the parents have shared physical custody or if the obligor has substantial custody time. Otherwise, the primary custodial parent will generally receive child support from the other parent. Various factors can have an impact on the ultimate award of support. For example, child care and health care costs can be included in the amount of child support payments, and are often calculated in proportion to the respective incomes of the parties. In addition, if the parent paying support has other children for whom they are paying support, the amount due may be reduced. Also, the total percentage of child support payments may not exceed a certain percentage of the obligor’s income.

The obligation to pay child support is not dischargeable once it has been established, and will be owed until the child reaches the age of 18, or perhaps longer if the child is disabled. The amount of child support may be modified if there is a significant change in circumstances, including the loss of a job, injury or disability of the obligor. An increase in wages by either parent provides the basis for seeking a modification of the amount of child support. However, a voluntary reduction in earnings or self-removal from the workforce will not be considered factors in reducing the amount of child support. In the instance where one parent is either not working, or is underemployed, an earning capacity may be imputed by the court.

If you need help getting child support from the other parent of your child we can help. If you are currently receiving child support but believe you should be getting more based on a material change in the circumstances we may be able to assist you. If you are currently paying child support and have a reduction in income which was beyond your control, we may be able to obtain a modification of the amount of support you owe.

Regardless of the circumstances, dealing with child support is very difficult for the families involved. The main thing to consider is that the guidelines for child support are in place to provide for the basic needs of the dependant children. If you need to talk to a lawyer to discuss any issue regarding child support, we would be glad to speak with you. For more information about Child Support in Pennsylvania, call Scott L. Levine at 412.303.9566.

Hartley Rose Building | 425 1st Avenue | Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412.303.9566 | www.pghdivorce.com | Fax: 412.774.2168

The material provided on pghdivorce.com is provided as general information only and in no way does it constitute legal advice or establish any attorney-client relationship. No one should rely on this information when making important decisions about a legal matter. If you are in need of legal assistance you should contact a lawyer who practices in the jurisdiction where you live.

425 1st Avenue | Pittsburgh, PA 15219 | Phone: (412) 303-9566 | Fax: (412) 774-2168 | pghdivorce.com

We offer legal services for Family Law matters including: Contested Divorce, Uncontested Divorce, Custody, Partial Custody, Shared Custody, Full Custody, Legal Custody, Child Support, Modifications to Child Support, Spousal Support, Modifications to Spousal Support, Alimony, APL, Protection From Abuse, PFA, Marital Settlement Agreements, Separation Agreements, Equitable Distribution of Property, Name Change, Paternity & Pre-Nuptial Agreements. We handle court hearings, conferences, litigation, motions, settlements and negotiations. We draft and prepare legal documents, pleadings, motions, briefs, petitions for special relief, petitions for contempt, divorce complaints and custody complaints. We offer estate planning services, including the drafting of wills, living wills, health care power of attorney documents, HCPOA, advance directives, power of attorney, POA and simple wills. We offer reasonable rates and fees, and have flexible payment options. We accept cash, check, money orders, debit cards, credit cards, Visa, MasterCard and American Express. We offer hourly billing and flat fee agreements depending on the circumstances.

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