Item: Blair & Kim, PLLC
Rating: 5
Author: N.Mark French

Child Support

Learn About Child SupportWhat You Need to Know: State Guidelines

In Washington State, basic child support is determined by statutory guidelines. The amount of support is calculated using the net incomes of the parents and the non-primary parent is responsible for paying to the primary parent a percentage of the support amount. The percentage is his or her proportionate share of the combined net income. Needless to say, accurately determining net incomes is critical to the bottom line number.

How to Calculate Support

In situations where the parties are W2 wage earners, calculating basic child support is straight forward. Not so, if you work on a commission, are self-employed or unemployed. Determining the true income of the self-employed, imputing income to the unemployed or underemployed or dealing with non-recurring income such as bonuses can be difficult. Other complicating factors may be a deviation for more or less child support than what the guidelines provide. A common reason for a deviation may be that you have a special needs child or the paying parent spends a significant amount of time with the child.

What Support Covers

The support determined based on the parents' incomes is intended to cover basic necessities of a child such as food, clothing and shelter. Other expenses that may come into play are daycare expenses, education expenses, sports, extracurricular activities, medical expenses and other costs associated with the child's care and upbringing. These issues can make determination of child support complicated requiring the expertise of a divorce attorney who is deft with numbers and can skillfully negotiate all elements of a child support order.

Child support is one of the critical components of any divorce proceeding because it directly impacts the well-being of the children. Our family law attorneys have the experience and the working knowledge of investigating and efficiently obtaining income records and financial documents necessary to accurately determine net income and ferret out hidden income. Here are some areas Blair & Kim, PLLC can help you with respect to child support matters:

Determining the amount of child support, including other child-related expenses
College expenses and post-majority support
Enforcement of child support
Modification of child support
Collection of back support

We will work tirelessly to fight for your rights as a parent, as well as for the support that is needed for the care, health and other costs involved in raising your children.

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★★★★★

Mark C. Blair has no rival in his field in Seattle. A consummate professional. Communication was brief, straightforward, easy to understand, and without a typical condescending tone you can sometimes experience from attorneys on top of their field. Correspondence was timely and always affective. Any in need of criminal defense, should have a conversation with Mr. Blair, and you will quickly see and feel, no further contacts, referrals, or phone calls need be made. The money and time that can be saved by streamlining future contact and collateral damage in the sentencing process will far and away be worth every penny of the fee structure. Thank you very very much Mark Blair. N.Mark French

Sara Kim of BlairKim is a great attorney. I had never before had representation or dealt with the legal system and she made it very easy for me. She converted the legalese into laymans terms for me and helped me to understand the steps of the process. When I hesitated on certain decisions, Sara gave me the confidence and encouragement to proceed – especially since it was most beneficial to me in the long run. Sara is very straightforward and professional while also being personable and pleasant to deal with. Tamara

Sara Kim was the perfect lawyer for our situation. We were determined not to involve the courts in our divorce. Within the first 30 minutes of consultation, Sara proposed an equitable formula for division of property which we used to negotiate an agreement that felt fair to both of us. Our flat fee arrangement with Sara covered the filing of paperwork which alleviated much pressure for us during a very stressful time. I highly recommend Sara for her flexibility, professionalism, and efficiency. Carrie

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