St. Louis Child Support Lawyers
To protect your rights and those of your child, allow our staff of experienced child support lawyers to help you.
No one can dispute that raising a child costs a lot of money. In St. Louis, it is common for a non-custodial parent to help with those expenses through child support payments to the custodial parent. Child support payments are meant to help offset the cost of education, living expenses, health care, and the general care of the child or children.
The Betz law firm did an amazing and efficient job executing on my non-contested divorce. My ex drug his feet and the law firm kept on him and even was prepared to go forward with a non-response judgement. My ex responded the day before we went for a non-responsive judgement and agreed, finally. The judge signed off within the week and I was notified via email that my divorce was final a few days prior to receiving the email. I never had to go to their office or to court to face my ex. From start to finish, this took 6 months almost to the day. Again, my ex drug his feet, this could have probably gone faster. Thank you Debbye Laskey for keeping the paperwork straight and to Mr. Betz for the legal components.
Mr. Betz is an exceptional attorney who has been an advisor for me and represented many of my clients. He is well respected within the legal community and trusted by all.
David and his team are excellent to work with. The care, expertise, along with the ease and frequency of communications always kept me well informed and aware of the status of my situation. I cannot recommend The Betz Law Firm enough and I won’t hesitate to call them again in the future if I ever require their services again.
David was amazing in my case. He was very helpful and very informative and also very understanding. Easy to communicate with.
Mr Betz worked with both of us for us with our mediation, no matter how frustrating she was becoming. He handled the situation very calmly and professionally. Thank you for helping it come to a resolution.
I have worked with Mr. Betz a number of times and have always found him to be a wonderful GAL and mediator. He does the work, gets things done, and cares about the tasks and people involved. I highly recommend him as both a GAL and mediator.
I hired the services of David Betz for purposes of getting a name change and him and his paralegal Debbye were professional, answered emails promptly, and were able to handle a complication in my case with no problems. Would highly recommend Mr. Betz.
Mr. Betz is a knowledgeable and helpful straight shooter who truly cares about kids! Highly recommend.
The Betz Law Firm assisted my son with legally changing his name. They were extremely easy to work and very helpful!!!
David Betz and Debbye Lasky were both wonderful to work with and accomplished what I needed done.
David was very professional and helpful for our child during a recent litigation. I would highly recommend his firm for GAL service or attorney service!
Fair Guardian Ad Litem who has walked a tightrope of a custody case
I was very impressed with Mr. Betz’s service. He was the GAL for my children. He was very professional, fair-but-caring and advocated tireless for the children’s best interests. He took his time to talk to them about their wishes, giving us sound advice and guided us through an otherwise contentious process. I appreciated his professionalism, ethics and would highly recommend him.
My son and I have worked with David Betz for several years in custody matters concerning my grandson. I have found him to be genuinely concerned with our situation and responsive to our needs. He listens carefully and handles matters promptly. He is realistic in evaluating situations and helps us to arrive at the best possible alternatives. I highly recommend him for family law matters.
I am a transfeminine nonbinary person that used The Betz Firm to get my name changed. They were extremely affirming, and excited to work with me through this as it was an immensely huge deal for me. Thank you Betz Firm, for making this a reality for me!
Joel and David are extremely helpful and helped with everything I needed. They are kind and worked with me with all of my needs regarding my case! I would recommend to everyone!
David was phenomenal in helping me secure protection and safety for myself and my daughter during the divorce and custody case. We ultimately prevailed at the end with 100% custody and a judgement in favor of the petitioner for support, with heavy stipulations in place for visitation. David by your side in the courtroom is a sure fire win. Place your bets on Betz!
David was super helpful in getting all of my questions answered. He was kind and patient while I explained the situation I was dealing with, and outlined numerous options and avenues that I had as choices. He didn't sugar coat things and was honest where he thought struggles would appear in the case, and talked through best and worst case scenarios. He also was nice enough to offer additional phone calls if more questions came up while choosing how to move forward with the case. I would highly recommend talking to David about your case if you need a family lawyer, as it's obvious that he is kind, and extremely knowledgeable about family law and the complications it can involve.
The Betz Firm has handled all of our family law needs. They are an impressive team to work with and they have the ability to find the best solution for their clients.
I have all the world to say about this man. He helped me piece my life back together.
David Betz took the time to answer all of my questions and was very kind, thoughtful, considerate, and most importantly of all knowledgeable. I very much appreciated his time and help!
The staff is very professional and friendly and comforting to their clients (the children). They definitely put us all at ease during an uncomfortable time.
David himself is very easy to talk to, and both of my kids really liked him. I am very impressed with their involvement in our case. He has been easy to work with and good at getting back to us in a timely manner with issues regarding our case.
I would highly recommend his office to anyone in need of legal help for their children.
10 months later...
I wanted to add, we have been in this case for 22 months and it’s about to wrap up. David has been amazing. My 16 year old daughter had kind of lost her faith in the system and in adults - David really worked with her and helped hold her accountable, but also gave her a voice, great advice, and really won her over. She really trusts him. When she was struggling, she would ask to call David. When I was struggling with her, I would threaten to call David and she would become more agreeable. She really trusts and respects him. Which for me, takes a unique skill set. Not everyone can get an unhappy teen to comply and also still keep their trust and respect. My son loved David too. Both kids looked forward to our apts with David. Which when you are fighting a child support/ custody case and your drained, it’s so nice to have parts of the process be so easy and helpful. And that’s what we got from David and his staff.
David has offered to be available if he can help after the case with questions or getting a teenager in line. They were understanding and more than fair with my payment options. Joel, his assistant- is a joy to talk to and prompt to respond and he chatted with the kids and put them at ease in a very uncomfortable situation. I can’t say enough good things about them.
We drive past their office every day on the way to school and my daughter said she wanted to stop by and take David a Christmas present. That’s pretty impressive for a 16 year old.
They really made a very unbearable situation so much better; David even made us smile and laugh during a very nerve wracking time.
I would highly recommend them to anyone. Definitely 5 plus stars!
David helped me successfully navigate through a challenging legal scenario, where timely direction and counsel were paramount to a positive outcome. He quickly understood the issues at hand, provided very practical advice, all the while demonstrating his firm understanding of the law. Just as importantly, his advice was grounded in how the practical application of that knowledge would lead to a positive outcome. He was easy to talk with, a focused listener, honest, and it was obvious that he was not out for his own gain. It was nothing short of a positive experience from start to finish!
I retained David Betz for my divorce and very happy with how things turned out. David and his team went straight to work and kept me updated every step of the way. If you looking for someone to get the job done, then look no further. Thank You David and Joel for all you have done for me!!
I felt comfortable with David and was always treated with respect and listened to.
Such a great experience working with David. He truly was looking after my child's best interest and that's what it's all about. But he also was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and explained everything so that even my 7 year old could understand. Well done.
David is a great person and lawyer. He was on top of the situation instantly also very professional. I would recommend him to anyone that wants not only a lawyer but a friend he listened to my concerns and took action thats what I like about him. Thanks David ! My life is forever changed !
David actually cared and unlike most attorneys, did not try to take as much as possible. I am satisfied and got everything I needed.
David Betz is professional and is very to the point! He knows the law and helps to get you a fair deal. He helped me get 50 percent custody of my kids and my home back from my ex. His staff are very knowledgeable and helpfully as well! I highly recommend him to anyone going though a custody battle!
I was in a very tough spot legally with a family situation. David was able to help me out and I got much more than I ever expected from the court. I give David the highest possible rating!!! He will do what is necessary to help you with your family law situation.
David Betz is very kind and will answer any questions you have regarding your case in a timely manner. I highly recommend him.
Really listened and provided solid advice and assistance. Always made himself available and never rushed our meetings. He really cared about our outcome, I felt like a friend rather than a client. A great attorney and true professional.
Who Qualifies for Child Support?
The custodial parent of children under 18 is generally entitled to receive child support payments from the non-custodial parent. The age requirement can be extended if the child is mentally or physically impaired or if the child’s education is extended past high school.
How is the amount determined?
The Missouri Supreme Court has guidelines in place, known as Form 14, that calculate the amount of support to be paid by a non-custodial parent. This form looks at gross incomes, the number of children involved, other children supported by the non-custodial parent, health insurance, childcare costs, and the amount of time spent with each parent. The court may make modifications due to extenuating circumstances, so an experienced St. Louis child support attorney should always assist you when filling out these forms. Our firm will prioritize your and your child’s best interests and work diligently to meet your specific needs.
St. Louis Child Support Assistance
It is often emotional to deal with these types of issues when your child’s welfare is at stake. Our team of experienced child support lawyers knows that these matters must be handled delicately to resolve the problem amicably.
As your personal brigade fighting to obtain support for your child, our firm will make sure that you understand all of the guidelines set out by the state of Missouri and how they are going to affect your family. We have helped many single parents obtain child support in the past by:
- Obtaining an order to collect child support
- Modifying existing child support agreements to reflect current needs
- Enforcing child support orders that the non-custodial parent is ignoring
- Assisting with issues regarding the paternity of minor children
These are emotional issues, often surrounded by chaos and turmoil as you try to cope with the pressures of being a single parent. As a family law firm, we understand your anguish and do our utmost to make the entire process as easy as possible for you and your child.
Child Support and Dissolution of Marriage
Attempting to work out details of child support amid divorce proceedings is emotionally draining. In St. Louis, many judges prefer that the parents of minor children come to their own amicable child support decision before a divorce is granted.
Although our firm consists of seasoned litigators who have spent many hours in a courtroom, we prefer to try to resolve the issues surrounding children through mediation. This is a more civilized approach to solving the complexities of determining child support and co-parenting decisions.
In a world where two-income households are dominant and child care is often necessary, Form 14 might not always fit a family’s needs perfectly. Our team of top-notch child support lawyers will help you and your parenting partner identify alternatives that can meet your needs as well as the best interests of your child.
Can an Order for Child Support Be Modified?
If a change in circumstance is significant enough to affect your child’s welfare, our firm can assist you in asking the courts for a support modification. The criteria for such changes must show that the current support order is unreasonable in light of these changes. We can help you present the evidence the courts require to obtain the modifications you need.
Will Joint Custody or Visitation Affect the Child Support Order?
Suppose a court orders visitation or joint custody; a parent may not go against that order without good cause. Doing so could result in a reduction in child support payments. If you have a valid reason for denying visitation, you should first speak with one of our attorneys. We can help you file the necessary paperwork to adjust the visitation or custody order so your child support is unaffected.
A custodial parent is also in danger of losing their child support if they voluntarily allow the other parent to have physical custody of the child for more than 30 days. Again, our team of child support experts will help you retain your child support if extenuating circumstances prevail.
Child Support For Children of Unmarried Parents
A divorce is not the only instance where the courts order child support payments. Our firm deals with paternity issues all of the time and has helped hundreds of single moms obtain support orders for fathers who were never a part of their household.
Can a Child Support Order Be Terminated?
An order for child support will always include an age stipulation. This is usually 18 but can be extended to 21 if the child continues their education. No court order is needed to terminate support beyond a child’s 21st birthday.
If the child gets married, joins the military, or becomes otherwise emancipated before that time, the custodial parent needs to file a letter with the court notifying them of the change in status and requesting that child support payments be stopped.
The parent paying support can also file a similar letter. However, they may need to prove that the child has become emancipated.
Child Support Lawyers
Your child’s well-being and future should always be prioritized despite the circumstances. As a team, our firm has learned that the best approach to dealing with family law issues like child support is to try and work out the differences in a productive and friendly manner. We have found that this approach paves the way for future problems to be handled with mutual respect and the child’s best interest as a priority.
Speak With an Experienced Attorney
Our firm uses experience, good communication, and availability to help families navigate life-changing events.
SaveAnswers to Frequently Asked Questions About Child Support
What Does Child Support Cover?
Child support is meant to cover basic living necessities. Typical expenses expected to be paid for are:
- Food
- Housing
- Medical
- Education
Generally, excessively expensive or superfluous items are not covered.
How is Child Support Calculated?
Support will generally be calculated based on the child’s needs and each parent’s financial situation. An example of the former would be if a child goes to a private school. A couple might find it reasonable to have that child continue to attend private school and raise the level of support accordingly. An example of the latter would be one parent being a top-tier earner. They will likely be expected to pay more in support if they make a significant amount.
Can Child Support Be Adjusted?
The number you settle on in your divorce is not set in stone. If certain factors change in your or your child’s life that may constitute an adjustment, you can negotiate that number privately or in court.
When Does Child Support End?
Child support payments usually end when a child turns 18, though exceptions exist.
What if My Former Partner Doesn’t Pay Child Support?
How Can I Get the Best Deal in a Divorce?
As we mentioned above, stakes are very high when negotiating child support. Whether you pay for or receive it, you want the best deal possible. This is generally accomplished with the help of an experienced divorce attorney. They can leverage their extensive legal experience to negotiate a favorable deal for you.
Going through a divorce can be very frustrating. However, if you are well-informed, the process will be significantly easier. The best way to educate yourself is by speaking with a St. Louis divorce lawyer you can trust to be an excellent source of information throughout your negotiations.
For a FREE 30-minute Phone Consultation, call the Betz Law Firm at (314) 801-8488
