When your family is going through changes that will affect your children’s financial security, you need skilled legal guidance to protect their best interests. At Caulder & Valentine Law Firm, PLLC, our child support attorneys in Lincolnton can help you work through this emotional and potentially overwhelming time.
Whether you need to establish a new child support order, modify an existing arrangement, or enforce payments that are not being made, our experienced team of family law attorneys is ready to stand by your side.
Contact us today for a confidential consultation with a child support lawyer in Lincolnton.
Child Support Basics in North Carolina
North Carolina law requires both parents to support their children financially, regardless of whether the parents live together. The state’s child support system exists to make sure every child receives the resources they need to thrive. That means that children should have access to food, clothing, shelter, education, healthcare, and other necessities.
Child support payments help level the playing field when parents separate. Payments for child support aim to provide children with a standard of living comparable to what they would have experienced if both parents had remained in the same household.
The Lincoln County Child Support Enforcement office assists families in establishing and collecting support payments.
Who Is Responsible for Child Support in North Carolina?
Both parents have a legal duty to support their children financially. The responsibility applies to biological parents and adoptive parents alike.
It does not matter whether the parents were married, unmarried, separated, or divorced. The law views financial support as a fundamental right that belongs to the child, not to either parent.
In most cases, the noncustodial parent makes regular payments to the custodial parent. The noncustodial parent is typically the parent who spends less time with the children or who does not have primary physical custody. Our custody lawyers in Lincolnton, NC, can explain how shared custody arrangements may affect payment calculations.
Parents cannot simply agree to waive child support. Even if one parent says they do not want or need financial help, the court will still require the other parent to contribute. That is because child support is considered a right that belongs to the child, and parents cannot give away their children’s rights.
How NC Courts Calculate Child Support
North Carolina uses specific guidelines to determine how much a parent should pay in monthly child support. The child support guidelines help create fair and consistent outcomes across different cases.
The court will consider these factors when calculating child support:
- Each parent’s gross monthly income
- The number of children requiring support
- Health insurance costs
- Work-related childcare expenses
- Custody arrangements
The court may also consider whether a child has special needs that require additional financial resources. Medical conditions, learning disabilities, or other circumstances that create extra expenses can lead to higher support amounts.
Factors Affecting the Duration of Child Support Payments
Child support obligations typically continue until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later.
However, support may continue past age 18 if a child has a severe disability that prevents them from becoming self-supporting. In such cases, parents may need to provide ongoing financial support. Support can also extend if a child remains enrolled in high school at age 18, continuing until graduation or age 20, whichever comes first.
On the other hand, support obligations may end earlier if a child becomes legally emancipated, gets married, joins the military, or becomes self-supporting before reaching the age of majority.
Our Lincolnton child support lawyers can help you understand when your child support obligations may change based on your family’s unique circumstances.
Modifying an Existing Child Support Order
Life circumstances change, and sometimes existing child support orders no longer reflect what is fair or appropriate. North Carolina law allows parents to request a child support modification when significant changes occur, such as:
- A substantial change in income
- Changes in custody arrangements
- Changes in the child’s medical conditions or educational requirements
- Substantial changes in health insurance premiums
To modify a court-ordered child support arrangement, you must show that circumstances have changed substantially since the original order. The court will not modify the child support amount just because one parent wants to pay less or receive more. You need to demonstrate real, meaningful changes that affect your ability to pay or your child’s financial needs.
Enforcing an Existing Child Support Order
When a parent fails to make required child support payments, you have legal options to enforce the order. North Carolina takes child support obligations seriously. The state provides several enforcement tools to help custodial parents collect what their children are owed.
Child support enforcement actions can include:
- Income withholding, as the court can order an employer to withhold support payments directly from a parent’s paycheck
- Contempt proceedings, leading to fines or even jail time
- License suspension (including driver’s, professional, and recreational licenses)
- Federal and state tax refund interception
- Liens and property seizure
Why Choose Caulder & Valentine Law Firm, PLLC, as Your Child Support Attorney?
When you need legal help with child support matters, choosing the right attorney can have a significant impact on the success of your case. At Caulder & Valentine Law Firm, PLLC, we have over 25 years of combined legal experience. Our trial-ready advocates work toward peaceful resolutions whenever possible, but we are fully prepared to take your case to court when necessary.
Our conveniently located office in Lincolnton makes it easy for local families to access the legal help they need.
We are proud of the relationships we build with our clients and the results we achieve for them. Our client testimonials show how we have helped families throughout the area resolve their child support matters successfully. For example, one of our past clients wrote:
“I would highly recommend Josh Valentine. From the outset, Josh demonstrated a deep understanding of family law and a genuine concern for the well being of all parties involved. Josh was always accessible, promptly answering all of my questions and addressing my concerns with patience and clarity. He guided me through every step of the process, ensuring that I fully understood my options and felt supported throughout.” – Matt C.
Reach Out to a Lincolnton Child Support Attorney at Caulder & Valentine Law Firm, PLLC, Today
Your children deserve the financial support they need to thrive, so you need an attorney who will fight for their best interests. Our custody lawyers in Lincolnton are ready to help.
Contact Caulder & Valentine Law Firm, PLLC, today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced child support attorney.