How Can I Get the Most Child Support Possible?
Raising a child is expensive, and when parents divorce or separate, child support can become a major issue. Many parents want to know how they can secure the highest possible child support amount to ensure their children’s needs are fully met. Unfortunately, the parent paying child support rarely sees it that way, and arguments are often a consequence.
While Virginia law provides guidelines for calculating child support, there are situations where courts can order additional support based on the child’s unique needs and the parents’ financial situations. Our Fairfax County, VA child support attorney can help you set realistic expectations for how much child support you can receive and help you ask for as much as possible.
How Child Support Payments Are Set in Virginia
Virginia uses an income shares model outlined in Virginia Code § 20-108.2 to calculate child support. This model uses both parents’ gross incomes, the number of children, healthcare expenses, childcare costs, and other expenses to determine each parent’s share of child support.
The goal is to get as close as possible to the standard of living the child would have had if the parents were still living together. However, these guidelines are not absolute. Courts can order more child support than the guidelines automatically set if doing so is in the child’s best interests.
Circumstances That Can Increase Support Payments
Courts in Virginia may award additional child support in cases where a child has unusually high needs or when one parent’s financial resources are far greater than the other’s. For example, higher support amounts might be ordered to cover:
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Private school tuition if it aligns with the child’s prior standard of living
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Specialized medical treatment or therapies
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Extracurricular activities that are important for the child’s development
To secure a higher child support payment, the requesting parent must present clear evidence of these needs and show why the increase is necessary.
Requesting a Modification
If circumstances change after an initial child support order is entered, Virginia law allows parents to ask for a modification. This can happen when the paying parent’s income increases substantially, if the child develops new medical or educational needs, or if other financial factors come up.
However, courts require proof of this change in circumstances before they will allow a change in child support. Parents seeking a higher amount should be prepared to document these changes thoroughly.
Contact a Fairfax County, VA Child Support Lawyer
If you want to pursue the highest possible child support to meet your child’s needs, contact a Prince William County, VA child support lawyer at Nicole M. Burns, Attorney at Law. With over 15 years of experience, we can guide you through Virginia’s legal process and help you advocate for your child’s best interests. Call 703-373-4761 to schedule a consultation.
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Located in Reston, VA, Nicole M. Burns, Attorney at Law represents individuals and families throughout the area, including Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Bristow, Broadlands, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Dale City, Dumfries, Dulles, Fairfax, Falls Church, Gainesville, Great Falls, Haymarket, Herndon, Lake Ridge, Leesburg, Manassas, McLean, Montclair, Nokesville, Oakton, Potomac Falls, Sterling, Tysons Corner, Vienna, Woodbridge, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Arlington County.
