Child support ensures your children have the financial resources they need. Lynda Landers helps Melissa parents establish, modify, and enforce child support orders that accurately reflect each family's circumstances.
What Melissa parents need to know about the child support framework.
Texas calculates child support as a percentage of the paying parent's net monthly resources. The statutory guidelines set the percentages at 20% for one child, 25% for two children, 30% for three, 35% for four, and 40% for five or more. A cap on net resources applies and is periodically adjusted — confirm the current figure with your attorney.
Net resources start with gross income and subtract specific deductions: federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes, state income tax (if applicable), union dues, and health insurance premiums for the child. The calculation may seem straightforward, but the details — determining what counts as income, handling self-employment or irregular earnings, and accounting for other children — can be more complex than they initially appear.
In addition to basic child support, Texas courts typically order one or both parents to provide health insurance for the child when coverage is available at a reasonable cost through an employer or government program. If neither parent has access to affordable coverage, the court can order cash medical support. Dental and vision insurance may also be addressed.
Melissa's growth has brought families from various economic backgrounds to the community. Whether you are a dual-income household in a newer subdivision or a single parent working to make ends meet, the guideline calculation applies the same framework. However, courts have discretion to deviate from the guidelines when the circumstances warrant it. Lynda ensures the court has accurate, complete information about both parents' financial situations so the resulting order is fair and workable.
Child support orders can be modified when there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances — a significant income change, a job loss, or a child's changing needs. Orders can also be reviewed if three years have passed and the current order differs by 20% or $100 from what the guidelines would produce. If a parent is not paying court-ordered support, Lynda pursues enforcement through contempt proceedings, wage withholding, or other available remedies.
One child
Two children
Three children
Percentages apply to the obligor's net monthly resources, subject to a statutory cap. These are guidelines — courts may deviate based on the specific facts of each case.
Whether you need to establish, modify, or enforce a child support order, a consultation will help you understand your rights and obligations.
Schedule a Consultation or call (972) 529-5707