Moreno Valley Child Support Attorney

Moreno Valley Child Support Lawyer

Navigating the world of family law can be overwhelming and confusing, whether you are going through a divorce or renegotiating a custody agreement. When a romantic or marital relationship between parents ends, it can be difficult to determine the necessary next steps to care for children properly. Working with an experienced Moreno Valley child support attorney can help you approach your child support case with confidence, regardless of stress or high emotions.

Why Choose The Law Offices of Michelanne Hrubic?

When your family situation changes, the unknowns involved can be overwhelming. Children are innocent, and when a changing parental relationship threatens their stability, it is vital to act quickly in their best interests. To do this, you need solid legal support behind you. The experienced team at The Law Offices of Michelanne Hrubic can work with you to effectively advocate for your children and reach a resolution that benefits them.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Moreno Valley Child Support Attorney?

There are many steps required to establish or change a child support order in the state of California. Having a lawyer who is familiar with the legal proceedings related to child support in California can give you confidence moving forward. Additionally, the help of a knowledgeable attorney can help you find an arrangement that allows your children to receive all necessary support.

There are several specific benefits to working with an attorney to request, change, or enforce a child support order. Some of these benefits are listed below:

• Experience and legal knowledge. These qualities are essential for a person dealing with the California legal system. A Moreno Valley attorney is familiar with all of the required documentation, paperwork, and processes, which gives your child support case a fair chance of being successful.
• Negotiation. An experienced attorney is able to work through any necessary negotiations objectively and calmly. This allows them to do their job without their judgment being clouded by emotions, which means you receive effective advocacy and professional service. It is also an important aspect of child support cases because the ultimate goal is to reach a resolution that most benefits your child, regardless of the feelings of adults.
• Awareness of precedent. This means that your attorney can provide insight into a likely outcome for your case based on what the courts have done in the past. This can give you confidence and clarity as your child support agreement is finalized.

Whether you are establishing child support as part of a divorce, seeking back child support, or seeking to change a child support payment, a Moreno Valley child support attorney can help. They work to streamline the process and increase your chances of a successful outcome.

What is the Process of Filing for Child Support?

Many children live in single-parent homes, and child support arrangements are extremely common. As of 2024, around 34% of children in the United States lived with only one parent.

In order for a child support agreement to be enforced by the courts, there must be a child support order that is approved and put in place by a judge. To start this process, you must submit an Application for California Child Support Services. This form can be accessed online or in a local office. Once the application is submitted, the process of determining appropriate child support payments can begin.

The parent with more rights, often including physical custody, is considered the custodial parent, so the non-custodial parent is required to pay child support on a monthly basis. When parents divorce or separate in California, a parent must request to establish parentage, or paternity, and then request a child support order. In many cases, paternity is already established and documented on a child’s birth certificate.

There are four types of cases where a child support order can be requested. These are listed below:

• Divorce, legal separation, or annulment. In these cases, parents are legally dissolving their relationship and, as a result, may request an order for child support.
• Petition to establish parental relationship. These cases involve unmarried parents who are ending their relationship and wish to establish a child support order.
• Domestic violence restraining order. These cases can involve both married and unmarried parents.
• Petition for custody and support of minor children. Unlike most child support orders, these cases involve parents who are married or are registered partners and do not wish to end their relationship legally.

Initial child support requests can be filed online, but you can also get the process started by visiting your local child support office. For Moreno Valley residents, the relevant office is the Riverside County Department of Child Support Services, which is located at 2081 Iowa Drive in Riverside.

Once a request has been submitted for a child support order, it must be approved by a judge. After the order is in place, the parent in question must begin making the required payments.

How Is Child Support Calculated?

As with any legal process pertaining to custody or child support, the goal is to ensure that whatever plan is established serves the best interests of the children. As a result, there are several factors that contribute to how child support payments are calculated.

Child support is intended to provide for all of the basic needs of the children in question. Needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are taken into account. Some cases may also consider medical, travel, and educational costs, depending on the circumstances. Parents are given an opportunity to agree on a child support plan themselves, but the state of California has guidelines to follow if that is not possible for any reason.

When child support is determined by the guidelines, the judge considers the factors listed below:

• The income of each parent
• How many children the parents share
• Expenses from health insurance
• Support received from other relationships
• The parents’ tax filing status
• Mandatory payments, such as retirement or union dues
• The amount of time spent with the children
• Costs associated with childcare and medical care

Other factors may be considered, and the amount of child support is not set in stone. If the circumstances of the non-custodial parent change, then the amount owed in child support may change as well.

Income Considerations for Child Support Arrangements

When people think about the concept of income, they may often think about regular, W-2 employment, biweekly paychecks, and simple, easy-to-calculate net wages. In our modern society, however, that is not everyone’s situation. Furthermore, some people attempt to affect the outcome of a child support case by changing jobs, leaving a job, or otherwise artificially deflating their income.

Self-Employment Income and the Gig Economy

In the past couple of decades, the United States has seen a dramatic uptick in the number of people who are self-employed or working gig economy jobs. Services like Uber, DoorDash, Lyft, and TaskRabbit employ individuals on a contract basis, and for many people, working for these services represents a significant portion of their personal income. In fact, as of the beginning of 2026, there were around 9.9 million people driving for Uber alone across the globe.

For self-employed parents, it may be difficult to report income for child support purposes. Many self-employed individuals find that their income fluctuates quite a bit from month to month. For example, someone might make $10,000 one month and $3,000 the next. When that is the case, it is inaccurate to use either the top-earning month or bottom-earning month as a representative income number.

To solve this problem, courts generally use an average income figure when calculating relevant income for child support. Self-employed people can deduct their legitimate business expenses from their overall revenue, and the resulting number is their net monthly income. Several months of net income can then be added together, and the total can be divided by the number of months.

Although child support is generally mandatory in many situations, courts make an effort to order a fair amount based on the paying parent’s income. To that end, courts often evaluate at least 12 months of a parent’s income to determine the average net income for child support purposes.

Imputation of Income and Hidden Income

Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that a parent who is required to pay child support attempts to reduce their support amount by quitting their job for no reason or by refusing to work when they are physically and mentally able. When this happens, courts can use a calculation called imputed income.

Imputed income is an income figure that courts assign to a parent based on what they could be earning, even if they are not earning that amount at the time of the calculation. Using imputed income to calculate child support prevents parents from refusing to work in order to avoid paying.

It also sometimes happens that a parent hides assets or income from the court and the coparent when child support is being calculated. If you suspect your child’s other parent is hiding income or assets, you should discuss this with your attorney. An experienced attorney can help you with this by asking the right questions, using subpoenas, or hiring forensic accountants to uncover any hidden assets or income that should be considered when deciding the child support agreement.

What Is Child Support Enforcement?

A child support order is a binding part of the divorce agreement. Breaking any part of that agreement can cause the guilty party to be held in contempt of court. In circumstances where the non-custodial parent fails to make the appropriate payments, there are steps that can be taken to rectify the situation.

It is also important to understand the regulations surrounding child support enforcement. If you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to pay child support, you may face penalties for unpaid child support. There are many penalties that may be handed down in California for not paying child support properly. Some of the main consequences are listed below:

• Wage garnishment. When wages are being garnished, an individual’s employer is required to allocate and send a portion of each paycheck directly to the California Department of Child Support Services to automate child support payments.
• License suspension. Failure to pay child support may result in the restriction or removal of licenses to travel. That may include a passport, driver’s license, or possibly professional licensures.
• Tax refunds. Any refunds that are received by a parent who has failed to pay child support can be halved, with one half going to the necessary child support payments.
• Workers’ compensation payments. Similar to wage garnishment, workers’ compensation payments from an injury or illness can also be redirected as child support payments through the Department of Child Support Services.
• Fines or imprisonment. If child support payments have been neglected for extended periods of time, the delinquent parent may face court-imposed fines or even jail time.

In addition to these penalties, it is also possible for a parent to be required to pay back child support, which means the court can order the parent to pay missed child support payments dating back a certain number of months. If you are dealing with a former partner who is not making the correct child support payments, you must act quickly. Back child support does not expire, under California Family Code § 4502.

What Resources Are Available to Determine Child Support?

The state of California offers several resources to parents attempting to establish or change a child support order. At the state level, the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) is responsible for creating the policies that determine child support across the state. This organization also oversees all local services.

The Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) is a resource available at the county level, and each county in California is equipped with an LCSA. These agencies provide resources, support, and assistance in the common processes of managing a child support case. Support provided by the LCSA includes help with:

• Opening a new child support case.
• Establishing parentage or paternity.
• Locating parents who are required to pay child support or who have missed child support payments.
• Requesting a medical support order from the courts.
• Enforcing a child support order when a non-custodial parent has broken the child support agreement.
• Navigating the process to change a child support order.

Taking care to see that child support is properly established and enforced is crucial. No child should suffer because of an improper child support agreement or an agreement that isn’t being upheld.

The state of California offers resources to help parents establish, enforce, and change child support agreements as needed. However, having the support of an experienced and knowledgeable Moreno Valley child support lawyer is also an essential part of a successful child support case.

FAQs

Q: Is Child Support Separate From Child Custody?

A: Yes, a child support agreement is separate from a child custody agreement, although custody arrangements can affect support arrangements. These are separate legal documents and separate court orders. Child custody arrangements depend on the parents’ desires and individual ability to care for the child, and child support arrangements depend on the non-custodial parent’s financial situation.

Q: Can a Child Support Arrangement Be Modified?

A: Yes. It is possible to modify a child support arrangement that has already been established. However, doing so requires a new court-approved arrangement that supersedes the existing one. If you need to modify a child support arrangement in Moreno Valley, it is a good idea to hire a child support attorney for insight into your situation and help filing the proper paperwork.

Q: How Long Are Non-Custodial Parents Required to Pay Child Support in California?

A: Generally, non-custodial parents must pay child support until the child in question reaches the age of 18. In some cases, such as if the 18-year-old child is still in high school and under the care of the custodial parent, child support must continue until the child turns 19. Child support can also be discontinued if the non-custodial parent becomes the custodial parent.

Q: Do I Need to Establish Paternity to Seek Child Support?

A: Yes. If you intend to seek child support from your child’s father, you need to legally establish paternity before an order can be issued. If the man in question agrees that he is the child’s father, or if their name is on the child’s birth certificate as the father, paternity is easily established. If the man in question denies paternity, a paternity test must generally be completed before a child support order can be enacted.

Q: What if the Custodial Parent Makes More Money?

A: Even if the custodial parent makes more money, the non-custodial parent is often still responsible for child support. Unlike spousal support, child support is intended to help parents equitably share the financial responsibility that comes with raising a child. To this end, non-custodial parents who make less money than custodial parents are often still required to pay some child support to equitably distribute the costs associated with parenting.

Hire a Child Support Attorney in Moreno Valley for Assistance

Navigating the end of a marriage or partnership can be painful and stressful on various levels. Attempting to negotiate a child support agreement in the midst of such a major change presents its own challenges. Having the support, knowledge, and guidance of a Moreno Valley child support attorney can provide much-needed confidence as you work to finalize a child support agreement.

The Law Offices of Michelanne Hrubic provides individualized service for all of our clients, and we understand that no two child support cases are the same. We work with you to help you fully understand each step of the child support process and advocate for a final agreement that provides for the needs of your children. Contact us today and let us help you navigate this journey.