Nevada Child Support Questions

Child support is by far the most contentious part of many Nevada divorces. Very often, both parents will dispute exactly what constitutes child support and how much the obligation should be. If the parents cannot agree, the court will intervene. Either way, it is a good idea to seek out a family lawyer to help you through the process.

Guidelines Are A Place To Start

In most divorce cases, Nevada’s child support guidelines will govern who pays support and the amount due. Support amounts are calculated using the parent or parents’ gross monthly incomes – if parents share joint legal custody, both must be factored in; if one parent has primary custody, then only the non-custodial parent’s gross monthly income will be used in calculations.

That said, it is possible, though not common, for the court to deviate from those guidelines if the parents can show that it is necessary to do so, or if the court holds that adjustment would be in the best interests of the child. In other words, the court can order a parent to pay more or less if there is a compelling reason to do so that can be set down in the written record. Common examples of ‘compelling reasons’ might include a child’s disability or if you have a preexisting support obligation, such as from a previous marriage.

Making Changes

It is important to be aware that either parent may file to modify their support amount, either once three years has passed, or in the event that circumstances have changed such as to merit a modification.

Be aware that Nevada law does allow for the imputing of income to a parent who voluntarily seeks out a pay cut or has other reduced circumstances that are not meritorious. Some people choose to reduce their income so as to reduce their support obligation, without being aware that the courts can simply impute their previous level of income to them for purposes of calculating child support. The rationale is that the parent could easily earn that much money if they tried, given the only reason for their reduced circumstances is their own choice.

Contact A Las Vegas Child Support Attorney

Every parent wants what is best for their children, but sometimes determining what that ‘best’ is can be quite controversial. Contacting a Las Vegas child support attorney from the Kainen Law Group can help to answer any questions and ease your mind for the process ahead. Call our offices today to speak to an attorney.

Resource:

leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-125B.html#NRS125BSec070