Going through a divorce can be devastating and stressful. It gets even worse when it comes to sorting out child support. Being summoned to court for your first child support hearing can be frightening, especially if you're unfamiliar with the court process. However, this is something you shouldn't take lightly because it can significantly impact your life for many years.
Working with an experienced family lawyer can help you properly prepare and know what to expect at every step. A huge part of preparing for your case is gathering the necessary documentary evidence to back up your case.
You can use online child support calculators to generate reports of weekly or monthly child support estimates. You can use the report to negotiate with your ex-partner and prepare for your hearing. Alongside understanding your child support ranges, here are a few other things you can do to prepare for your child support hearing:
1. Prepare Proof of Your Expenses
From your health to your job, your expenses are unique from those of your ex-spouse. While preparing for your child support hearing, you must have all your expenses at your fingertip. On top of that, you must ensure you can back up your claim, whether a journal or file of all your expenses and those you've incurred in the child's upbringing.
Providing tangible evidence of actual expenditure you've incurred in your child's upbringing can make the courts take your claim more seriously. You must provide accurate expenses and demonstrate that your claims have a basis by providing tangible evidence. This will help the judge be better equipped to make an accurate decision.
2. Prepare Documentation of Your Full Income
The courts mostly rely on the parent's income to determine who and how much child support they'll pay. Thus, you must gather all the necessary documentation to show your full income before your hearing date. That means providing proof of income from all sources, from unemployment and disability benefits to part-time and full-time employment.
You must also report any income from pensions or assets like stock dividends. It's also important to indicate whether or not you receive any social security or public assistance. Essential paperwork to bring to court to prove your income includes IRS W-2 forms, pay stubs, and copies of your latest tax returns.
You should also have proof of income from other sources like cash payments or bank interest income. If you're unemployed, the judge may also want to know why and may also want to know about your educational background and work history to determine what you're capable of earning.
3. Know Your Parenting Time
Apart from your income, the time you spend with the child can significantly impact the amount you pay for child support. Typically, the higher the visitation percentage or the more time you spend with the child, the lower the child support you pay. You must know your exact visitation percentage before going for your child support hearing. This is important because it can save you thousands of dollars in child support a year.
Endnote
A court hearing is critical, whether you're seeking or being asked to provide child support. Using the above-discussed tips, you can ensure that you're adequately prepared for your child support case. This way, you can stand a better chance of getting the best out of your case. Once the case is finalized, you and your ex-partner must comply with the court order, whether paying monthly child support or allowing visitations. The courts are there to protect the child's best interest, and not adhering to the court order could result in being held in contempt or spending time behind bars.
