Westport Child Support Lawyers
Serving Parents Throughout Fairfield County, CT
In Connecticut, child support is considered a fundamental parental responsibility. It ensures that children receive the financial support they need, whether their parents live together or separately. This obligation is typically established in divorce cases, legal separation, or when paternity has been legally determined for unmarried fathers.
Navigating child support laws can be daunting. Understanding your rights and obligations under state law is crucial, as these decisions can impact your financial stability and your child’s well-being.
Legal guidance is essential for a fair and equitable resolution, whether seeking support, negotiating payments, or facing enforcement issues. At Ferro, Battey & Eucalitto, LLC, our exclusive practice of family law enables us to provide highly skilled legal help in this matter.
Call (475) 264-4362 or contact us online to consult a Westport child support attorney. Our service areas include Darien, Norwalk, Wilton, and New Canaan.
How Connecticut Calculates Child Support
Connecticut follows an "income shares" model when calculating child support. This model is based on the idea that children are entitled to the same financial support they would receive if their parents lived together. The guidelines calculate each parent's proportional share of the total support obligation by considering their combined net weekly incomes and the number of children involved.
To begin the calculation, the court determines each parent's gross income. This figure is adjusted to reflect allowable deductions, such as taxes, health insurance premiums, and mandatory retirement contributions, resulting in the net income figure. Net incomes for both parents are then combined, and the total is used to follow the state's child support schedule, which specifies a base support obligation.
For parents with a combined net weekly income exceeding $4,000, the court has discretion to order child support between a presumptive minimum (calculated as a percentage of the total combined net income of $4,000) and a presumptive maximum (calculated as a percentage of the total actual net income).
Deviations from Guideline Amounts
While the Connecticut Child Support Guidelines establish a standardized framework, courts retain discretion to deviate from the calculated amount in certain circumstances.
Courts may adjust calculations based on factors including, but not limited to:
- Special needs of the child
- Parental earning capacity rather than actual income
- Significant visitation or shared parenting
- Extraordinary parental expenses
- High combined income cases
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“I had a fairly complex case which involved adultery. Janet & Olivia were able to dissect the issue in a stepwise, logical manner, delivering ample rewards during the actual trial.”- Former Client
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“I know Ferro Family Law provided me the very best outcome I could hope for. Since then, I have retained them to represent me in some post judgment actions.”- Former Client
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“From the first time I met Janet & Olivia, through the end of my case, I knew I was in great hands. I cannot thank Ferro Family Law enough.”- Former Client
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“Aggressive, compassionate, cost-effective. I regularly refer Janet & Olivia to some of my most sensitive divorce cases. They are results-focused and responsive.”- Attorney Referral
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“This compassionate group of knowledgeable attorneys helped me and my children. I have and will continue to refer this firm to anyone in need of counsel for divorce.”- Former Client
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“Not only did Janet & Olivia quickly help me secure all protections for my daughter, they also ingeniously found a way to impel my spouse to get proper treatment.”- Former Client
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“Janet & Olivia genuinely care about all aspects of the client’s case and pay close attention to the client’s concerns, goals, and finances.”- Former Client
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“I have worked on several matters with Janet and Olivia. They are amazing attorneys. Smart, thorough and practical.”- Former Client
Have Questions?
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What is joint custody?
There are two types of joint custody: joint legal custody and joint physical custody. Legal custody concerns the parents’ ability to make major decisions for their children. Major decisions include health, education, and religious decisions. If parents have joint legal custody, the parents are required to agree on all major decisions for their children.
Physical custody addresses when the children are with each parent. If the parents have joint physical custody, each parent spends time with the children. In some cases, parents may have shared physical custody, which means the children spend approximately half the time with each parent.
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Who is entitled to custody of the children in a divorce case?The court may assign custody of a child to either parent, jointly to both parents, or in very rare situations, to a third party, depending on the facts of the case and the best interests of the child.
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What are the grounds for a “fault” divorce?
The fault grounds for divorce include adultery, fraudulent contract, desertion, alcohol or drug addiction, intolerable cruelty, imprisonment, and others. To get divorced, one party must establish one of these grounds. It is uncommon for one party to ask for a divorce on a fault-based ground.
A party does not need to file for divorce on a fault-based ground, however, to argue that the court should consider the other party’s fault. The court may consider the fault of either party when making alimony and property division orders.
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What is the difference between a divorce and a legal separation?Both a legal separation and divorce will change the status of your relationship. However, a divorce will end your marriage, and a legal separation will not. Both terms are similar but the outcome in each is different. In both, the court will divide the parties’ property and enter alimony and child support orders. Unlike divorce if spouses are legally separated, they are not free to remarry. Spouses may elect a legal separation over divorce for religious reasons or to keep certain financial benefits. A legal separation can always be converted into a divorce. Converting a legal separation into a divorce effectively requires the parties to repeat the process they went through to get legally separated. For that reason, legal separation is rare; divorce is far more common.
