For parents

Child support

Setting, reviewing or answering a support request, for the parent who receives support and the parent who pays it.

Support is money for a child's daily life: food, housing, school costs, health insurance and childcare. Washington sets support with a statewide formula, so most of our work is getting the numbers right and making sure nothing is left out. We help the parent asking for support and the parent being asked to pay. Either way, the goal is a number that is fair, correct and doable.

Who usually calls us about this

If you are asking for support

There is no order yet, or the current order no longer covers what your child needs.

If you are being asked to pay

You got papers or a notice and want to know if the numbers are right before you agree.

If you never married

Support often goes hand in hand with parentage and a parenting plan. We can do all three together.

What we do

1 Gather both parents' income records and the real costs of childcare and insurance
2 Run the state worksheets and show you the math line by line
3 Check whether a deviation (a reason to go above or below the formula) may apply
4 Negotiate an agreed order where we can, and argue it in court where we can't
5 Explain what happens after the order: payments, records and when it can change

How Washington usually handles it

In general terms. Your facts, your county and recent changes in the law all matter, so ask us how this applies to you.

Washington uses a statewide schedule based on both parents' incomes and the number and ages of the children.
Health insurance, childcare and some extra costs are usually split between parents on top of the basic amount.
A court can go above or below the formula in some situations, but it has to explain why.
The state support agency can also set or enforce support. Sometimes that is the right path, and we will tell you if it is.

What to bring

Your last two years of tax returns and recent pay stubs
Any current support order or notice you received
Childcare bills and health insurance costs for the children
A rough idea of the other parent's job and income, if you know it

The honest part

The formula does most of the deciding. Our value is accurate numbers, a fair split of extra costs and an order that works in real life, not a bigger or smaller number than the law allows.

We never promise a custody, parenting time or support outcome. Anyone who does is guessing.

An example of how this can go

Example outcome Agreed order

Mother asking for a first support order

Stevens County · About 3 months

Situation. Support had been informal and unpredictable since the parents separated.

What happened. Support was set using the state worksheets, with childcare and health insurance shared by income. Agreed at mediation, no hearing needed.

Example outcomes are illustrations for this demo, based on common situations. Every family and every case is different. Past results do not predict or guarantee the result of any future case, and nothing here is legal advice. More example outcomes

Common questions

Can we agree to no child support at all?

Parents can agree to a lot, but a court still has to approve the support part, and it looks closely at whether the child is protected. We can talk through what a judge is likely to accept.

What if the other parent hides income or works for cash?

Courts can look at past earnings, lifestyle and job history. We help you gather what is available and ask for records through the court process when needed.

All questions

Fee

$1,200 to $1,900 flat

Support set or reviewed by agreement

Contested support is billed hourly against a retainer.

All flat fees and hourly rates