Do you live in Texas and are getting a divorce soon? Are you concerned about the arrangement with your children?
You want to know the laws concerning Texas child support. These are the laws that concern how much the parents have to support the child.
This is usually concerned with the financial support that one or both parents have to provide.
It’s imperative to familiarize yourself with the laws concerning child support in Texas before your divorce.
Here’s what you need to know:
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Obligor and Obligee
The obligor is the parent who is required to pay financial support to the obligee. The obligee is the parent who spends most of the time with the child and has all or majority of the custody.
The obligee will have to handle the living expenses and other major responsibilities of raising the children.
The obligor usually won’t have major possession of the child. In some cases, they might have no right to see the child.
Duration and Calculation
The obligor has to pay the obligee until the child turns 18. If the child finishes high school before their 18th birthday, the child support duration ends.
The duration of payment can also be halted if the child gets emancipated by marriage, gets their disability removed, or dies. In some cases, the child might need to receive support indefinitely if they’re deemed permanently disabled.
In Texas, child support obligations are based on a percentage depending on the number of children in the family.
These are the current child support obligation fees:
- 1 Child: 20% of monthly net income
- 2 Children: 25% of monthly net income
- 3 Children: 30% of monthly net income
- 4 Children: 35% of monthly net income
- 5 or more Children: 40% of monthly net income
These are general guidelines of how much the obligor has to pay. The court can assess if the obligee requires more money. There are limits to how much the court can go above the stated fees.
Hiring a Lawyer
It’s always wise to hire a child support lawyer to fight your case in court. If you’re the obligor, you want to make sure that the court doesn’t require you to pay more than what’s just.
If you’re the obligee, you can get your lawyer to help fight for more money for your children.
As an obligor, there might be incidences where the obligee tries to request more money than is needed to care for the child. You’ll have to fight to protect your income and wealth.
As an obligee, your obligor might try to cut down on offering financial assistance to you. Your lawyer can help you fight for what’s needed to help care for the children.
Now You Know About Texas Child Support
Now that you know about Texas child support, you and your spouse can discuss this as you plan your divorce.
You want to make sure you both understand the obligations involved in the process. You want to make sure you understand how much the child will need for their living expenses.
If you decide to get a divorce, make sure you find a lawyer who can help both parties come to an amicable agreement.
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