How to Handle Child Support Disputes in Atlanta

All kinds of child support disputes may arise between parents. Perhaps you believe your ex should be paying more. Maybe you’re worried about your child’s access to proper clothing, food, and shelter. You might be concerned if your ex is asking you to cover additional expenses despite the fact that you already pay child support. Parents may be able to resolve these disputes without going to court, but sometimes a child support lawyer in Atlanta needs to get involved.

 Follow Your Child Support Agreement Down to the Letter 

The most obvious step in this situation is to review your child support agreement. This is the only “set of rules” that matters during child support disputes, and you should attempt to adhere to its exact wording. If there is some uncertainty as to each parent’s responsibilities, simply refer to the written agreement. You may be able to clear up misunderstandings by reviewing the agreement, and the assistance of a lawyer might not be necessary.

Note that you are not required to pay any additional sums outside of what is specifically outlined in the child support agreement. Of course, you can voluntarily provide more money, clothing, or food – but you are under no obligation to do so.

You May Need to Modify Your Child Support Agreement

Perhaps you feel that your ex should be paying more in child support. You cannot simply force your ex to increase their payments, regardless of how justified you think these increases are. Instead, you must petition the court to modify your existing child support agreement. You cannot make this petition on a whim, and you will only be successful if there is a substantial change in circumstance that justifies the modification. Examples include changes in employment or changes in health.

However, you should be aware that legal fees can be quite expensive for parents who try to modify their child support agreements. You should weigh the pros and cons of involving a lawyer, especially if the desired increases in child support would be relatively minimal.

For example, you might want your ex to pay for some school supplies and new clothes. If you’re already receiving child support, your ex might argue that they should not have to pay additional sums – and you should use your payments to cover these expenses. If this is the case, it might be cheaper to simply pay for the expenses instead of hiring a lawyer.

 Can an Atlanta Child Support Lawyer Help Resolve Disputes? 

An Atlanta child support lawyer may be able to help you resolve disputes. They may do this through private, mediated negotiations. Alternatively, they may represent you in court. Whatever the case may be, it makes sense to work with a lawyer who can keep your legal fees low while leading all parties toward positive resolutions. Consider speaking more about this subject with Kaye, Lembeck, Hitt & French.

Sources: 

childsupport.georgia.gov/

csc.georgiacourts.gov/contact-us/