Child Support Law in Michigan

Experienced Child Support Law Attorneys

Skilled Divorce Representation in Okemos, Lansing, and throughout Michigan

Whether your child is an infant or about to graduate from high school, Michigan child support laws dictate how much support will be paid in order to provide for the child. The amount awarded is governed by a specific formula which requires that a shared economic formula should be used to calculate the amount to be paid. The income of the parties and number of overnights that are used in the formula must be precise in order for the amount of child support to be calculated accurately.

How Supporting the Needs of Your Children Can Impact Your Divorce

It is essential that you have the guidance of a knowledgeable Michigan divorce attorney to help you sort through the various factors related to child support. Some of these factors include (but are not limited to):

Michigan's child support guidelines were significantly revised in 2008. The presumed child support obligation of each parent, based on their respective incomes, has now been modified to reflect the amount of overnight visits a child spends with the parent. Consequently, the more overnight visits a child spends with a parent, the lower the amount of child support owed. We will help you understand how child custody and other factors affect child support.

NOTE: It is extremely important that you immediately file a petition to reduce child support if you are laid off. Under Michigan law, a judge does not have the authority to go back and retroactively reduce child support back to the date you were initially laid off. They only have the ability to retroactively reduce child support to the date you filed the petition to reduce child support.

Michigan Laws Do Not Require Child Support after High School Graduation

If the child is attending high school (up through age 19.5), child support payments must continue. Once the child turns 18, and is no longer in high school or graduates from high school, the child support is no longer required. Also, Michigan statutory law does not require support to be paid for post-graduate schooling, though this is a matter that many parents address throughout the course of divorce and/or child support proceedings. Many parents are concerned about issues that extend past the creation of the initial child support order. Our firm handles cases involving residency changes, wage garnishment and enforcement of child support orders for former, current, and new clients.