In Minnesota, Family Court matters that involve child custody and parenting time rights are also required to address the question of child support; namely, each parents’ financial commitment to the child’s basic needs, as well as the child’s medical and care, and any child care costs.
In Minnesota, an experienced child support lawyer can help parents figure which is the best option for addressing their child’s financial support, in a manner that will satisfy the legal requirements of the Family Court. Minnesota has established a set of regulations for child support which determine the amount of financial support a child is entitled to, depending on the circumstances of each parent. These regulations are called the ‘Minnesota Child Support Guidelines’, which an experienced child support lawyer can help you understand, and figure out the amount of support that your child is entitled to. For a helpful discussion on the steps to follow in using the Minnesota Child Support Guidelines, please check out our blog on this topic: LESSONS IN CHILD SUPPORT FROM LORD OF THE DANCE. In order to help parents figure out what the Child Support Guidelines require, Minnesota created an online tool, called the ‘Minnesota Child Support Guidelines Calculator’.
MINNESOTA CHILD SUPPORT CALCULATOR
The Minnesota Child Support Calculator uses the Child Support Guidelines which the Family Court is required to follow (in most cases) when figuring out child support, and applies the parents’ individual circumstances (such as income, amount of parenting time, other children living in the home) to determine the amount of financial support that a parent is required to contribute to the child. That amount is then included in a Family Court Order, and becomes that parent’s obligation to pay to the other parent each month.
Because the Minnesota child support calculator involves several different factors which can be difficult to determine, getting help from an experienced Minnesota child support lawyer can be impactful. For example, a parent’s gross monthly income can very from month-to-month, and the law uses several different ways to determine income in such cases. Or, knowing whether child care costs should be factored into the child support calculator, will make a significant difference in a parent’s child support obligation.
Contact a Twin Cities Family Law Lawyer
Family legal matters are difficult, which is why it is important to have an experienced attorney guiding you and giving you appropriate advice. If you are facing a divorce, child custody, child support matters, parenting time concerns, paternity issues, domestic abuse, spousal maintenance matters, or your need to appeal a judge’s decision, Beyer & Simonson, LLC can help you. Call today at 952-303-6007.