If your divorce in Tulsa, Oklahoma is like many, by the time the divorce papers are filed with the court, parents have already started to create two separate households. Usually one parent has moved out of the family home, and the entire family is trying to adjust to rapid changes in circumstances. Parents are trying to come to terms with the practical, financial, and emotional consequences of a divorce.
It would be unfair to everyone involved to wait until a divorce is final for a court to issue orders for child support and custody. Thus, you do not have to wait until your divorce is final to get child support in Tulsa.
Temporary Orders for Child Support in Tulsa
It can take many months to obtain a final divorce decree. Therefore, a court can and does issue temporary orders for all issues regarding the divorce, including custody, visitation, and support. (Okla. Stat. tit. 43 § 110)
The petition filed must request the temporary order for all pertinent matters, including child support in Tulsa.
How Does the Court Determine Child Support Amounts?
Oklahoma uses child support guidelines and a support schedule that creates a presumption of the amount needed for support. (Okla. Stat. tit. 43 §§ 118, 119) The court then looks at the income of both parents and the number of children needing child support in Tulsa. (Okla. Stat. tit. 43 § 119)
The parents’ income is then adjusted by other obligations that a parent may have, such as continued payment of medical and dental insurance for the child, payment of support for other children outside the marriage, and monthly day care expenses.
This number may then be adjusted according to the time that the child or children lives with each parent. Shared parenting time refers to the division of time that each parent takes care of a child. This necessarily affects the amount of child support ordered by the court, whether on a temporary or long-term basis.
When a child spends more time with a parent, that parent by necessity pays for more of the child’s needs, from food and shelter to clothing and school supplies.
These can be complicated figures to try to ascertain. Also, while a temporary support order remains a temporary matter, once in place, they tend to be somewhat persuasive to the court regarding more permanent orders. Thus, it is always a good idea to discuss your family law issues with a qualified attorney.
Free Consultation: Tulsa Child Support Attorney
Your choice of an Oklahoma divorce attorney is critical, especially regarding any issues about child support in Tulsa. Before you retain our family law attorneys, you are invited to have a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to help you determine whether our family law services can meet your particular needs.
For a free consultation with a Tulsa child support attorney about your concerns, call the Divorce Law Office of Tulsa today at 918-924-5526.
