Austin, Texas, Child Support Lawyer

In Texas, child support is determined by the statutory guidelines contained in the family law code. However, there are circumstances when the family judge can order the parent without primary residential custody to pay a higher or lower amount than the guidelines.

I'm Gregory Hitt, a family law attorney in Austin, Texas. I help people in Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties understand their rights and obligations when it comes to child support.

Under the Texas statutory guidelines, the amount of child support paid by the parent without primary residential custody is as follows:

• 20 percent of net resources for one child
• 25 percent of net resources for two children
• 30 percent of net resources for three children
• 40 percent of net resources for four children or more

"Net resources" is your income after Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid withholding, federal income withholding and medical insurance premiums for your children have been deducted. Net resources are capped at $7,500 a month, which means that the maximum guideline child support payable for one child is $1,500 (20 percent of $7,500).

Texas courts can deviate from the guideline support amounts based on the needs of the child. Needs of a child depend on the individual circumstances, and can include things like special medical care for a disabled child, special schooling, and other items.

Child support can be modified if there is a significant change in the financial circumstances of the payer. If a parent fails to pay child support as ordered, he or she can be subject to a child support enforcement action.

Contact me, lawyer Gregory Hitt, for a personal consultation about child support. My office is located in downtown Austin, within a block of the Travis County Courthouse.