Getting or paying the support you deserve

If you care for children , you are entitled to financial support from their other parent. If you are ordered to provide this financial support, you are entitled to have it calculated based on your actual income and ability to pay. Child support applies in every case involving children in Iowa, regardless of income or lack thereof.

Both parents are required to financially support their children. When the parents are living together, they naturally share this burden by providing food, shelter and other necessities to themselves and their kids. But when they separate, this legal obligation for support does not go away, and instead becomes a monthly payment from one parent to the other. Even in cases where the parents equally share care of the children, a higher-earning parent still owes the other child support.

Child support is calculated using a formula created by the Iowa Supreme Court. The formula uses each parent’s income, tax bracket and many other factors. Although it is difficult to deviate from this formula, Legue Law can help you get the most favorable numbers possible for your situation.

Sometimes, if your children are receiving state assistance such as hawk-i coverage, the state of Iowa will get involved in your child support case. If you are ordered to pay child support, it can be garnished directly from your regular pay check. If you fail to pay your support obligation, you can be held in contempt of court and fined or even jailed.