The Department of Social and Health Services oversees the process of child support payments in Seattle. Paying child support can be intimidating, but it allows you to continue supporting your children and ensures you comply with court orders. Understanding this process can help you better protect your rights. The party receiving child support may choose to have the Department of Social and Health Services, through the Division of Child Support (DCS).

If you are facing a child support case or have related questions or concerns, seek skilled legal guidance. Our experienced child support attorneys at Twyford Law Office have the experience, legal skill, and insight to help. 

What Are the Ways To Pay Child Support?

There are several ways to pay child support.

Income Withholding

Most child support is paid through income withholding. If you are the paying parent, your employer withholds the required child support amount from your paycheck and then forwards the funds to the Division of Child Support (DCS), which passes the payments on to the recipient. Other sources of income from which child support can be withheld include:

  • Unemployment compensation
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Paid family and medical leave benefits
  • Retirement payments
  • Social Security Disability payments

Additional Options

If the court does not require you to make payments through your paychecks, you have the following additional options:

  • Making payments online
  • Making automatic payments through a bank account
  • Paying via a third-party vendor
  • Paying with cash, check, or money order

If you are wondering, “Is there someone near me in Seattle whom I can contact for help with the process of paying child support?” contact our seasoned child custody lawyers to ensure your payment process is suitable for your situation.

Receiving Child Support

If you are the parent who receives child support payments, you have two choices. You can have the payments deposited directly into your bank account, or you can receive a DCS card that functions like a prepaid debit card.

The Initial Child Support Process

The child support process often begins with a court-issued order that is part of a divorce case or a case involving another family law action. When a party requests child support, the Court makes a child support transfer payment determination.

The Income Shares Model

In the income shares model for calculating child support, both parents combine their incomes, and then the court determines each parent’s percentage of the total income to calculate their payment amount.

The state has a standard calculation formula that parents generally use. The total income and the number of children addressed in the order lead to the child support amount. The next step in the process is calculating the paying parent’s percentage.

Courts apply the state’s standard economic table to determine child support. For example, if you are the paying parent and earn 55 percent of the total combined income, your payments will be calculated as 55 percent of the amount shown on the table.

The Parent With the Child Support Obligation

Generally, the noncustodial parent or the parent with the visitation schedule is the one who makes the child support payments. If both parents split time with the children more evenly, however, whichever parent has higher earnings generally incurs the child support obligation.

Child support is an important financial concern and a complicated legal matter that our trusted family law attorneys could help you with. We could ensure you receive a fair order and stay current on payments. If you are asking yourself, “Can I get guidance from an attorney near me regarding the process of child maintenance payments?” contact our Seattle office for assistance.

Call Our Seattle Attorneys To Discuss the Payment Procedure for Child Support

Our child support attorneys at Twyford Law Office could help clarify the often confusing process of child support payments in Seattle. With our extensive experience, we have successfully helped many clients through similar situations. Contact us online or call our firm today to learn how we could support you through this process.