The Real Cost of Your Divorce
If you’re searching for a qualified child support lawyer in Kansas City, Kansas, the professionals at the Law Office of Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. are here to help you get the legal assistance you need. Read on to learn more about what you should know about child support, and see how the right child support lawyer can make all the difference.
Know the Signs of Divorce
A divorce is a complicated, overwhelming experience, and for those who are caught by surprise, it’s easy to panic and rush to find solutions without weighing the options. However, most divorces offer plenty of warning: You just need to know what signs to look for.
Every couple is different, but if you and your spouse can’t go a day without fighting, it could be a sign that your marriage is headed for trouble. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, you might completely ignore or avoid contact with each other, and this is just as bad as constant fighting. If you and your spouse are lacking intimacy (more than usual) or considering affairs with other people, all is not well in your marriage.
While there are many signs of divorce, not everyone notices them in time. And if it’s too late to consider counseling or other alternatives to avoid a divorce, it’s time to plan for the worst.
You Are No Longer Communicating.
A key ingredient in every relationship is communication. It is important that spouses talk to each other and understand how the other is feeling on a regular basis. You may think that avoiding certain conversations prevents arguments, when in fact, it just drives emotional distance. Having disagreements and verbalizing them is actually preferable compared to no longer communicating with your spouse. If separation happens and child support is fought for, parents may be unable to reach an agreement because they are used to avoiding and not cooperating with each other.
You Have Pent-Up Contempt or Resentment.
Having respect for your spouse is the foundation of your marriage. Lack of empathy, callousness, or ridicule can cause anger and resentment to fester. When one spouse is feeling contempt, unless it is just in the heat of an argument, it can be difficult to have fond emotions towards the other. As a child support lawyer Kansas City, KS parents trust from the Law Office of Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. has seen before, that not respecting a spouse can cause child support cases to be even more stressful, as a lack of decency means they are probably not willing to collaborate.
You Have Not Been Physically Affectionate.
Intimacy is an essential aspect of any marriage, and can easily be taken for granted and lost entirely. Less affection can happen due to raising children, being busy at work, going through a stressful event, and other life responsibilities. While temporary periods of no intimacy between partners may not be a sign of divorce per se, if these durations last for months and then years on, the marriage may have reached the end of its cycle. Stale affection between spouses can brew bitterness, meaning they will be less likely to show compassion during a child support case.
There Are Instances of Financial Infidelity.
Financial infidelity occurs when one spouse is living a lifestyle that doesn’t represent earnings or their share of the bank funds. A Kansas City child support lawyer can attest, one spouse may start racking up credit card bills on luxurious items that don’t support the family and home. Buying a new vehicle spontaneously, taking out a loan without transparency, or otherwise being financially frivolous may contribute to a divorce happening. A spouse who isn’t showing consideration for the shared money while married is probably not going to be fair when fighting for or against a child support request amidst divorce.
You Are Not Happy for Each Other’s Success.
In a marriage, both spouses must be proud of and support the other’s success. There may be times when child-raising and work career goals cause friction and require compromise, but otherwise, a healthy marriage entails joy for their spouse’s big life moments. Sometimes parents get into a routine of caring for children and may feel tired and not as enthusiastic as they normally would be about hearing good news. But this is a minor issue and can be easily worked through with communication. As clients have expressed to our Kansas City lawyer child support team, a spouse that continues to not show encouragement when the other shines is not likely to keep the marriage intact for the long term.
What Does a Divorce Entail?
A divorce isn’t just you and your spouse going separate ways. Divorces involve splitting up assets and reaching a child custody agreement and depending on how badly your spouse wants to get payback, this can turn ugly faster than you could imagine. It’s one thing to lose your home and possessions, but it’s unthinkable that you’ll never see your children again. Fortunately, getting in touch with a Kansas City child support lawyer can make all the difference.
Visitation Rights and Custody
Depending on how your divorce proceedings go, you might find yourself on the hook for spousal and child support payments. The amount you’ll pay varies from case to case, but the most important thing to remember is that if you only have visitation rights, you aren’t going to be able to spend as much time with your kids as you’d like.
When it comes to divorce, it’s usual for one parent to have custody, and another to have visitation rights. If you have custody of the children, it means you’re responsible for raising your kids. You’ll have to feed and clothe them, take them to school and doctor’s appointments, and any other extracurricular activities, too. It’s a lot of work, but nobody said raising kids is easy – and it’s worth the effort to spend more time with your kids.
On the other hand, if you’ve been awarded visitation rights, you’ll only be able to see your kids on set dates throughout the week or month. You’ll have to pay child support to ensure they have the best life possible – but you won’t be there to watch them grow. It can be painful to lose your kids, so it’s more important to make sure you find the right lawyer who can help you navigate your divorce.
Get in Touch with the Law Office of Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. Today
At the Law Office of Daniel E. Stuart, P.A., we know that a divorce can lead to families being torn apart. We also know that you deserve a fighting chance to see your kids as much as possible. Get in touch with us today and see how a Kansas City child support lawyer can make a difference.
One of the most common family law matters that a child support lawyer in Kansas City, KS from Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. has handled before are issues over child support. Because of how contentious this topic can be, it isn’t uncommon for lawyers, mediators, and other professionals to assist with a resolution. The more informed parents are about their duties and rights, the better prepared they are to meet the needs of their children.
The purpose of child support is to provide funds for kids so their basic needs are met, including food, clothes, shelter, medication, and education. The parent who is not the primary caregiver may have to pay child support to the parent with full custody. As a Kansas City, KS child support lawyer may explain to clients, the family court judge will determine payment amounts and responsibilities based on numerous factors, such as:
- Monthly income of both parents
- Monthly costs of daycare, education, and extracurriculars
- Living arrangements for children
- Cost for pediatric medical coverage
- Commissions or bonuses received by each parent yearly
- Parental voluntary underemployment or unemployment
- Special education needs for child
- Other factors that could impact a parent’s ability to pay
How much is paid in child support and by which parent will depend on state laws and many other factors. For most states, the child should receive the same level of parental income as if the parents still resided together. In other states, payments are calculated based on a percentage of the non-custodial parent’s earnings.
If the court determines that one parent must pay into child support, and he or she refuses to do so, the other parent may submit a motion for contempt and force payments to happen. The remedies that may be implemented by the court to ensure the child gets the financial support they need is garnishing wages or inflicting criminal penalties on the non-paying parent.
We know how important children are to their parents. We hope that you consider contacting our team to help you through this difficult period. Family law issues tend to be emotionally driven and complex, so you must hire a lawyer who knows how to handle these delicate cases. Call a Kansas child support lawyer in Kansas City from Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. to have us get started right away on your case.
Prepare Accordingly if You Suspect a Divorce is Imminent
A divorce is always painful, but a child support lawyer from Kansas City, Kansas can help you through the challenges of your divorce. When you get in touch with Daniel E. Stuart, P.A., you get a valuable source of information so you’re never completely lost while you’re going through the divorce process, and you’re getting a valuable friend in your corner who can help you continue to see your children after the divorce is finalized.
Unfortunately, a divorce comes as a shocking surprise for many people. They fail to see the warning signs, and when they’re finally served with divorce papers, it catches them completely off-guard. It’s important to be proactive if you suspect a divorce is on the horizon: Getting in touch with a lawyer ahead of time can make the difference between child custody and never seeing your kids again.
Read on to learn more about the warning signs of a divorce, and see how a child support lawyer in Kansas City, Kansas can help you prepare and plan accordingly for the worst-case scenario.
Warning Signs of a Divorce
- Constant fighting: It’s no secret that even the happiest of marriages have their rocky patches. Most couples have their fights or arguments every now and then, but there’s a point where it becomes too much. If you and your spouse are unable to communicate without resorting to insults and criticism, you might need to seek some help.
- Stonewalling: If you and your spouse have cut all communication, it’s never a good sign. The occasional fight or argument happens in any relationship, but when neither of you are willing to talk through your problems, you’ll just end up making things worse. Avoiding each other and avoiding any kind of conversation means growing dissatisfaction, and even more serious problems down the line.
- Considering an Affair: A lack of intimacy can lead to more problems as well. If you and your spouse no longer have that special spark, one or both of you might start feeling a little desperate for the personal attention neither of you are receiving. Considering an affair is a warning sign of a divorce, and a lack of clear communication about your intimate needs can lead to resentment.
- Contempt or Disgust: If for whatever reason you or your spouse feels contempt or disgust when your in each other’s company, your marriage is already in trouble. It can happen for many reasons, but feelings of contempt towards one another is one of the hardest roadblocks to restoring a marriage, and you may want to contact a child support lawyer in Kansas City, KS to help you plan for the worst.
Get in Touch with Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. Today
A divorce is a last resort, but it’s important to be prepared for the worst so you’re not caught off-guard if the unimaginable happens. If you’ve noticed your marriage is on the rocks, and some of those warning signs are loud and clear, you might want to take some steps to ensure you’re at the very least able to see your children enough after the divorce happens. Get in touch with Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. today, and see how a child support lawyer in Kansas City, KS can help.
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