Failure to pay court ordered child support can lead to a number of consequences. Initial actions may include assessing interest on past due amounts and increasing paycheck withholding. Past Due Child Support: Administrative Enforcement Actions When child support arrears meet a certain threshold, state and federal laws allow child support agencies to use administrative enforcement […]
Wage Garnishment for Back Child Support
Wisconsin courts frequently garnish wages for child support arrears. Regardless of what occurred that created the past due child support, the court will act in the child’s best interest to recoup the amounts owed as well as ensuring current support continues. In Wisconsin, family courts and child support agencies can garnish wages on behalf of […]
Temporary Orders for Child Custody and Support
When you are a parent considering divorce, you may wonder how child custody and support will be handled during the divorce, which can sometimes take months to resolve. You may also have questions regarding who will remain in the family home, how bills will be paid, and whether you can count on any financial support […]
Understanding Wisconsin Child Support Calculations
In Wisconsin, child support is a legal obligation designed to ensure that children maintain a similar standard of living after their parents’ separation or divorce. The state follows a structured approach to calculate child support, guided by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). Wisconsin’s child support calculations prioritize fairness, equity, and the best […]
When Paternity of a Child is not Established
If parents are unmarried and paternity of a child is not established, in most states, the mother is automatically given primary custody rights over a child and is solely responsible for making decisions regarding the child and providing support. When a father wants to assert his parental rights, paternity can be established by signing a […]
Renewed Focus on Income and Parenting Time to Calculate Wisconsin Child Support
Wisconsin utilizes the income share model when calculating child support. This method takes into account both parents’ incomes, approximating the percentage of income each parent will contribute to cover basic support such as food, shelter and clothing; medical support to cover health insurance and medical costs; and variable support to cover costs of education, extracurricular […]
Modification to Child Support Order When Child Reaches Adulthood
If you are a payor of Wisconsin child support for multiple children, you must file a motion to modify the child support order when the oldest child reaches the age of majority or graduates high school to reduce the child support obligation. There is no statutory mechanism by which child support is automatically adjusted when […]
How to Protect a Child’s Financial Interests in a Divorce
When couples divorce, one parent may worry about the financial future of a child from the marriage. A parent may be concerned about protecting a child’s inheritance from being divided in the divorce or may wonder how they will afford what their child may need spanning early childhood through college. It is important to […]
Wisconsin Parenting Plans in a Divorce
When Wisconsin parents’ divorce, they will have to make many decisions regarding parenting issues which are largely addressed using a parenting plan. A parenting plan is a written agreement signed by both parents which provides clarity regarding the rights and responsibility of each parent and the physical placement (custody) of their children as part of […]
Life Insurance to Secure Child Support Payments
Securing life insurance to cover court ordered child support payments in the event of the payer’s death is important. A thoughtful calculation is necessary to ensure that the life insurance policy is robust enough to cover what might be years of support. Life Insurance to Cover Child Support Payments Life insurance to cover child support […]