DRM Family Law Group: Child Support

At Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC (DRM), the experienced and dedicated family law team can help you resolve child support issues from simple to complex, through negotiation or the courts.

Vermont family law and child support

A non-custodial parent may be ordered to make child support payments when a divorce; marital separation, dissolution, or annulment; or a civil union dissolution is granted or when parentage is determined. Requests for child support may be made by:

• either parent
• a guardian
• the Department for Children and Families
• the Department of Social Welfare
• the Office of Child Support

The Court may order support to be continued until the child attains age 18 or finishes high school, whichever comes later.

Calculating estimated child support payments

Child support is ordered by the court pursuant to specific Child Support Guidelines and is usually determined by a review of the parties' current incomes and the child care and health insurance costs associated with the minor child(ren). However, the Court may adjust the amount of child support if the guidelines, as applied, are determined to be unfair to the child or any party.

The Vermont Department for Children and Families website provides child support guidelines and a useful tool that can be used to compile data related to a child support case and to obtain a recommendation for child support amounts.

Uncollected child support payments

Often, the non-custodial parent has been ordered to pay child support, but the custodial parent receives little or none of the required payments. Or, some parents may withhold child support if they feel that their visitation rights are not being honored or if there are other challenges. Whatever the circumstances, DRM’s Family Law attorneys work diligently to help clients obtain a resolution that is responsive to the best interests of the children.

DRM’s family law attorneys provide first-rate, cost-effective client service.

Caryn Waxman and Amber Barber, co-chairs of the DRM Family Law Group, have each practiced family law exclusively for more than a dozen years. Both are regularly invited to address lawyers and other professionals on divorce matters and related complex financial issues, as well as other family law topics.

Keenly aware of the emotionally-charged nature of most family law issues, our family law team responds rapidly to clients’ needs, making every effort to ensure that you are informed about the status of your case and what steps are to be taken next.

Contact Us

To explore how the DRM Family Law Group can assist you, contact practice group co-chair Amber Barber or Caryn Waxman.