Child Support
No matter how your family is structured,
Your children need access to sufficient financial resources.
The legal foundation and purpose of child support is not to penalize a parent earning money or reward one who earns less, but to make sure a child's financial needs are covered appropriately.
Whether you are working your way through separation or divorce or have had a change of circumstances requiring a child support modification to change the payment, our team of attorneys handles support matters every day from every angle. Our child support attorneys have the experience necessary to navigate you through and know how to interpret the statutory child support guidelines for your unique financial and life circumstances.
Child support calculations are rooted in the guidelines, but are not always cut and dry.
A host of factors are considered when determining the child support obligations that will be assigned to each parent, including respective incomes, custody schedules, and who pays specific child expenses. Our family law firm's principled approach to the application of the child support guidelines and the economic drivers that underpin them ensure that the needs of your children are met without creating an undue hardship for either parent. Our lawyers also have a unique perspective on how child support should be appropriately considered in the overall context of your family law matter and not in a way that unfairly penalizes a child or a parent.
The child support guidelines become more flexible once a family exceeds specific income limits (which differ in Maryland and the District of Columbia). Our firm handles high-income, high-asset cases every day and we have the financial acumen you need to address how to use the flexibility to your advantage, regardless of whether you are the child support payor or recipient. As in all matters involving children and their best interest, we seek to find the appropriate balance which is fair and appropriate to both parents as well as their children.
The child support attorneys at McKinney Figini have the financial acumen and experience needed to assess complex financial pictures and create child support solutions that are fair and appropriate for both the children and the supporting parents.
You can expect our child support attorneys to…
- Discuss and document your family’s financial situation. We will gather and evaluate pertinent financial information pertaining to the economic history and future of your family.
- Evaluate plans and intentions for your children’s future. Custody arrangements, educational plans, medical conditions, and more will be assessed to see how they impact the financial future of your children.
- Calculate fair contributions that consider all the circumstances. Guidelines are an appropriate starting point. In certain high income cases, we can advise how the flexibility in the child support guidelines can be applied to address your children's needs and your unique financial situation.
- Construct and negotiate an agreement for the benefit of your children. This solution will take into account not just the needs of your children and the child support guidelines, but the overall financial context of your family law matter.
- Advocate for you if a change to an existing child support obligation is required. We will review your current situation to assess whether a material change in circumstances has occurred and help you understand whether to seek more child support or, conversely, to reduce your existing child support obligation.
We address each child support issue with creativity and a principled approach developed over our many years of experience working with families. We can help you create an arrangement that is tailored to your family’s situation and keeps everyone’s long term interest and well being in mind.
At McKinney Figini we value,
- Conflict reduction. We cut down contention and strive for considerate compromise to reach resolutions with grace and dignity.
- Child-centered resolutions. We put the well-being of children first, always.
- Client-focused futures. We place clients at the center of the decision-making process, never losing sight of attaining their vision of their family’s future.
- Clarity and confidence. We bring clarity where there is confusion, focus to the path forward, and strategic guidance that creates confidence.
- Constructive processes. We move your matter forward with efficiency, open communication, and collaboration.