When couples with children get divorced, the child support issue becomes a vital issue. As it is a very complicated matter and monetary benefits are involved, it needs to be handled by an expert or professional. The problems related to divorce and associated child support matters can be solved either by a Child Support Enforcement program or the court’s system.
In both cases, an expert in child support cases can be a great help to ensure that everyone’s interest gets addressed equally importantly. The parent who receives primary custody is the one who, in most cases, gets payments for supporting the child from the other parent. But the great question is, How much does a child support lawyer cost?
How much does a child support lawyer cost: how to determine?
Child support laws are not that simple; hence it is not an easy task for a non-specialist to go through all the details and address the gaps that might harm the applicant’s cause. In following situations an expert lawyer can be handy :
- Establishing paternity lawfully
- Organizing and submitting the right papers for the case
- Deciding payment methods for child support
- Helping in realizing how child support payments can be outstanding
Child support payment issues can be solved either throughout the court’s settlements or by a court of law. In both cases, there is no alternative to having an expert lawyer. When a dispute regarding child support cannot be solved through other means like mediation, arbitration, etc. The case goes for a trial at a court of law.
In any case, it is better for both the parents involved to reach an agreement or out of the court solution to save valuable resources like time and money.
Cost Range for Different Lawyers
In general circumstances, a child support lawyer may charge something between $100 to $400 per hour, though in some cases it can go as high as $500 per hour depending on the gravity of the situation. The retainer fee or popularly known as the advance fee is calculated on forecasted hours that might be needed to solve the particular case.
As the case progresses, the costs are deducted from the retained amount. If the case is prolonged and exceeds the retainer fee, the clients will be charged accordingly. The retainer fee could be nonrefundable even if previously agreed hourly rates do not consume the whole amount.
It does not matter whether you are the custodial or non-custodial parent; you have the right to hire a private attorney. In less complicated cases where both parties agree, the fees vary between $2000 to $5000.But in situations which are more complicated, not solved amicably and goes to a court of law for trial could cost around $4000 – $25000 or more.
In some instances, attorneys ask for a flat fee for some specific task or process, like preparing papers for a straightforward, uncontested case. For example, an attorney specialized in child support cases might charge $1000 to $1800 for doing a standard support modification. But in most cases, they mention a provision that if the situation or the case itself gets complicated, the cost will go up accordingly.
Some private and profit-orientated firms work for child support enforcement services as well, and they charge 25 to 30 percent of the amount recovered from the case in addition to charging for preparing documents and filing the lawsuit. In rare cases, they even charge a certain amount of money from each monthly support payment.
There are additional costs that could be involved with a child support case other than the attorney fees. One may have to pay for paralegal services, court fees, travel expenses, copying, and other expenses that cant be avoided.
Conclusion
Clarity is needed on what are things that are not mentioned while discussing the legal fees. It is advisable to have a written contract indicating how the billing will be done before you proceed with any case. The clauses should be in place, which will ensure that no unwanted dispute regarding charges arises.
