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Pennsylvania Child Support Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: My ex is one month behind in support. Are there any consequences for being one month behind?
Cary B. Hall
Cary B. Hall
answered on Jun 2, 2019

He could be held in contempt for failure to make the required payment. Contact your Domestic Relations Office and inform them that your ex is now in arrears. They can discuss enforcement options with you.

Best of luck to you.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: I have a question. My soon to be ex filed for support for our 1 son and spousal support for her. She doesn’t work..

Will she be told to find a job. I have been giving money to her without a court order since we split in 2017. I am finally moving on and have my own expenses and finally found a new place to live after spending time with my parents. I also pay support for a child who is the states custody... View More

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 26, 2019

It's really not possible to provide you with detailed answers because every case is different. I expect that she will likely receive both spousal and child support based solely on what you've said here. You really should sit down for a consultation with an experienced family law attorney... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: my exs child turned 18 and he pays support every 2 weeks it's not court ordered but now that she's 18 doesnt it stop?
Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 25, 2019

Has she been graduated from high school? If so, he should file to vacate the order.

2 Answers | Asked in Child Support and Divorce for Pennsylvania on
Q: HI, I want to get a divorce from my husband. How would I go about that? I live in pa and he lives in Broome ny.

I been here only a mouth and a half. He wanted this and won't do nothing about it. We have 2 kids which I have and he don't pay child support.

Penelope A. Boyd
Penelope A. Boyd
answered on May 25, 2019

Don’t make the mistake of trying to get something filed just to get it started. There are timelines that affect jurisdiction in family law matters and you want to understand the consequences of the decisions you make. Consultation with an attorney in your area can help you weigh the costs and... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: I was divorced in Colorado. Father has never pd support and son/child is no grown. I was afraid of ex and never pursued.

How would I begin to collect for arrears?

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 18, 2019

I'd say fist contact the Domestic relations Office for the county where the order was entered and go from there. If the order was sent to another county or state for enforcement, they should have that information. If the case was closed, you may have to consider getting an attorney involved.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: As custodial parent I didnt report a increase of hourly pay. Will I have to pay back money
Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 18, 2019

Probably not but there's no way to predict what the courts will do. Generally speaking, a modification of a support order does not become effective before the date until the request for modification was filed. However, as you apparently are aware, the support order requires all parties to... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody and Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: Not sure when I should apply for child support with newly listed military father.

He has just signed up with the army. He moved out a couple months ago now and I haven't filed anything yet.

Cary B. Hall
Cary B. Hall
answered on May 16, 2019

Always file now, because any support award is retroactive back to the date of filing. If his financial situation improves in the future (and it should, as he moves through the ranks), then you can always file a petition to modify support upward.

Best of luck to you.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: Paid mother in Md $2150 in child support by money orders and she acknowledged payment Before court order was in place.

Can I get child support credit for this money I gave her ? Wage attachment was ordered but it took Md 9 mos to put it in place. I have copies of the money orders with her signature and they state on the money order it is for child support. I also have the text messages saying she received this... View More

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 10, 2019

Did your support order originate in PA? You may be able to solve your issues by contacting your local Domestic relations Office. The mother can also just advise whichever office is handling the support case in writing that you paid it and they can initiate giving you the appropriate credit.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: Can ex spouse ask for increased child support claiming said child has autism.

Oldest daughters child support ends soon. Ex wife is taking me to court to increase child support for our second child claiming she has autism. My oldest daughter is highly intelligent, independant, but has been subjected to parental alienation from my ex wife. My daughter no longer wants to see me... View More

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 5, 2019

The courts don't side with mothers or fathers. There are support guidelines which to court must apply. The support guidelines are income-driven, not expense driven. Perhaps it would help you to sit down with an experienced family law attorney to discuss this situation

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: Over a month ago, my granddaughter was thrown out of her mother's house, and her mother changed the locks on the doors.

She is now living with her father. Her mother never reported that the minor child is no longer living with her, and she is still collecting child support. Is this legal in the state of Pa. ? The father has filed full custody of his daughter.

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 3, 2019

The father is probably following the better approach. He is going to first confirm that he has custody and then he can file to stop the support order. Sometimes parents take both actions simultaneously. I assume he is represented by experienced legal counsel and he should be following whatever... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: I receive child support biweekly Total monthly child support order is 511.00 but all i receive is 460.00. Why?

Does the state take 50.00?

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on May 3, 2019

You should contact your local Domestic Relations Office about this. Just a bit of information - a monthly order of $511 may include an payment toward arrears of about $50. If the arrears have been paid, or never existed, that could be one explanation. Another bit of information is that monthly... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: How do I get support in PA without my ex having a job?

I had a support order but my ex went to jail so it stopped. As soon as he was out I reported it to DRS. He has since not had a job many years now and DRS tells me there is nothing we can do until he has an income to get my case reinstated. Please help I don’t know if there are any other steps... View More

Peter N. Munsing
Peter N. Munsing
answered on Apr 26, 2019

You can only apply for AFDC benefits. Talk to welfare.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: If parents are divorced and mother has one child that lives with her and father has other child living with him.

Can the mother fight for child support ? If each parent has a child full time in Pennsylvania.

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on Apr 19, 2019

Yes, either parent can file for child support. Child support in PA is determined by the parent's individual incomes and, in your case, then an adjustment will be made for the shared physical custody. In the end, the calculations strive to even out the incomes, including child support, to the... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: My girlfriend and I just had a baby we live together and she told me I have to start paying child support to her
Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on Apr 15, 2019

Usually child support as such is not paid while the parents reside together. On the other hand, you should step up and contribute to the child's support. Babies are expensive.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: Can your support order go down if the payee gets a new job and makes more money? Does she have to notify a change in $

To the court.

Cary B. Hall
Cary B. Hall
answered on Apr 12, 2019

Yes to your first question, and no to your second question. If you think there's been an increase in her income, YOU should file a petition to modify your support payment.

Best of luck to you. If you need some assistance in filing, feel free to contact me offsite -- my office is Norristown.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: My ex has 6 children to his current wife. Will his support go down? I have primary physical custody of our 1 child.

I have my son about 75% of the time. Will all of these children get him out of paying child support for the one child he and I have together? It’s been 10 years since our support order was modified and I have been thinking of taking him in for modification because my sons misc expenses are... View More

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on Mar 25, 2019

Good question. He will not be released from providing support for your son but it's hard to know whether all those other children will impact the amount of the support. Here's how it works. You may want to consult with an experienced local family law attorney to go over this is greater... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: My husband divorced when his daughter was 4 (500$) and now she is 16. Can child support increase?

He lives on the west coast now, she lives with her mom in PA ..where they divorced. Custodial mom is now limiting the time we get her in the summer. Divorce papers state he will get her every other weekend...when he lived there. We are thinking of taking her to court to mandate we get her for more... View More

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on Mar 25, 2019

Yes, she can request an increase in the support. If she voluntarily quit her job, the PA court may attribute her most recent income to her as earnings even though she is no longer employed. However, since the Support Guidelines have changed several times in the last 11 years, and I assume your... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: does a parent continue to pay child support for 90 days after getting her children back

CYS has custody.My daughter pays child support.She is supposed to get them back the beginning of April.She has been told that child support continues for 90 days even though she has custody. She is a single parent and will have a hard time paying her bills if she has to continue to pay child... View More

Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on Mar 23, 2019

Not ordinarily. I don't know who told her that but she should take her support order to her local Domestic Relations Office to see if they'll suspend the support order effective the return date of the children. She will probably also have to file a petition to vacate the support order and... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: I’m trying to buy a house and the bank needs a copy of my last child support order. How can I get the papers?
Kathryn Hilbush
Kathryn Hilbush
answered on Mar 22, 2019

Contact the Domestic relations Office where the order was entered and ask what their procedures are for obtaining a copy. You may have to appear in person and pay a small fee for a copy since you should have received one in the mail after it was entered.

2 Answers | Asked in Child Support for Pennsylvania on
Q: Why is child support Based on one parent
Cary B. Hall
Cary B. Hall
answered on Mar 21, 2019

It's not. In calculating child support, a court/Domestic Relations looks at the incomes (or earning capacities) of both parents and than "runs the numbers." It may be, however, that one parent is determined to have zero income/earning capacity for any number of reasons, in which... View More

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