Child Custody and Support
Issues surrounding children — custody and support in particular — can be some of the most contentious elements in a divorce, but it serves your children best if you can work things out. We’ll help you understand things like how child support is calculated and how judges make decisions about parenting time. We'll also help you prepare for your hearing, conduct yourself during the hearing, and work together with the other parent to achieve the best possible arrangement for you and your children.
Child Custody Experience
We have effectively represented hundreds of clients in actions involving both contested and amicable child custody cases.
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Our child custody attorneys understand these cases are often highly emotional and can be profoundly consequential to our clients and their children. Our attorneys ensure that each client understands the strengths and weaknesses of their particular case so they can make the best parental custody decision for themselves and their families.
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During the last three decades, our custody attorneys have represented hundreds of clients in cases involving:
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Visitation
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Custody
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Shared Custody
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Supervised Visitation
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Relocation to Different County or State
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Allegations of Child Abuse and Neglect
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Paternity
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Special Needs Children
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Grandparent Visitation
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Non-Parent Visitation
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If you are thinking about filing a divorce, parenting plan modification, non-parental custody action, paternity case, or other family law action involving child custody, we invite you to contact our firm for a consultation appointment with a custody attorney.
To get you started with the process, you can download and send in our child custody questionnaire below.
To learn more about how to file for custody, what to do to prepare for court hearings, how the court makes custody decisions, and more, download our Pennsylvania Child Custody Guide.
Calculating Child Support in Pennsylvania
Child support in Pennsylvania is calculated by a mathematical formula set forth in the law, although the court may deviate from the formula based on special circumstances. There are four main factors that affect the amount of child support payable in Pennsylvania:
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The physical custody schedule of the child(ren)
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The number of children covered by the support order
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The monthly after-tax income of each party
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Certain additional expenses the parties may incur for the care of the child(ren)
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To calculate child support, first, determine the combined monthly net income of both parents and use that figure to determine each parent's percent contribution to the combined monthly income. Take that percentage, use the Pennsylvania Basic Child Support Obligation Guidelines to find the applicable Basic Child Support Obligation based on the number of children subject to the order. Then, multiply the Basic Child Support Obligation by the obligor's percentage of the combined monthly income to determine the preliminary monthly basic child support obligation.
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For example, if the father (obligor) has a monthly net income of $5,000 and the mother (obligee) has a monthly net income of $3,000, the combined monthly net income of both parents is $8,000 ($5,000 + $3,000 = $8,000). The percentage of each parent’s contribution to the combined monthly income would then be 58% for the father ($5,000 / $8,000 = 58%) and 42% for the mother ($3,000 / $8,000 = 42%).
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In our example, we will assume that this couple has two children, which means that the Basic Child Support Obligation would be $1,795.
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To determine how much the obligor parent is required to pay in child support to the obligee parent, multiply the Basic Child Support Obligation ($1,795) by the obligor’s percentage of the combined income. In our example, the father is the obligor, so the Basic Child Support Obligation is multiplied by the father’s percentage of the combined income ($1,795 x .58 = $1,041.10).
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You can use this tool from the Pennsylvania Child Support Program to help estimate child support.