Under California law, all parents have a duty to financially support their children. If you are looking to establish a child support order or modify your child support obligation, please contact my office for a child support evaluation. Determining the amount of child support due pursuant to California guidelines should only be handled by a legal professional. Although there is software available for calculating child support, it is essential to work with someone who knows how to properly use the software and who has an in-depth knowledge of the law. There is no substitute for legal assistance in properly determining child support.

It is also important to note that in California, child support is only modifiable by court order, whether achieved by agreement or court process. A verbal agreement between two parents to withdraw a request for child support that has already been court-ordered will not protect the paying parent from owing child support arrears. To protect yourself as the paying parent, a properly prepared legal document will need to be submitted to the court for processing to enforce the agreement to modify support. Any agreements made by parents on this issue can be handled out of court and, as your family law attorney, I can help guide you through this process.