Child Support Attorney in Texas

Under Texas Family Code guidelines, child support: 

• Is not required of stepparents and partners who aren’t legal parents, regardless of how long they’ve been part of a child’s life
•  Is typically calculated based on the paying parent’s net resources 
• Can be different than the standardized calculation if the court believes that it is in the best interest of the child 
• Includes coverage for medical and dental care 
• May apply even if parents are sharing equal possession time 
• Applies even if the paying parent does not exercise possession of their child 
• Remains in force until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school. In the case of a special needs or otherwise dependent child, child support obligations continue until amended by the court
• Is not altered by the remarriage of either parent 
• Can only be changed by court order 

Yes. The best interest of the child will always be the court’s main point of consideration when calculating a child support payment. To evaluate what amount would be best for the child, the court will examine all relevant factors and evidence, such as: 

• Debts assumed by a parent 
• Parents’ financial situations and their ability to pay 
• Child care expenses incident to a job 
• Negative or positive cash flow that affects either parent’s liquidity 
• Special educational, health, or other issues that affect a child or a parent 
• If a parent has physical custody or conservatorship of a different child 
• Health insurance premiums, deductibles, and uninsured medical expenses 
• Housing, motor vehicle, and other benefits supplied to a parent by a third party 
• Child’s college education and post-secondary school expenses 
• Travel expenses associated with possession of and access to the child 
• Spousal support paid or received by a parent 
• Other deductions from the income of a parent 
• If a parent is intentionally under- or unemployed 
• How much time the children spend in each parent’s care 
• Child’s age and needs 
• Any other reason consistent with the best interest of the child, taking into account the circumstances of the parents