Some of the most contested issues in family court cases involve issues related to children. Custody, visitation, and child support are extremely personal, intense, and sensitive issues. When you are dealing with child custody and child support issues, it helps to have a legal advocate that you can trust to fight for your child’s best interest. The attorneys of Berkshire & Burmeister handle custody and support cases throughout Nebraska. We fight for the best interests of you and your child. If you need a strong legal advocate on your side as you fight for custody, visitation, and support, we are here to help.
Both parents have an obligation to provide for the financial needs of their children even when they are not living together.
Nebraska has established child support guidelines for calculating support obligations for each parent. Each parent’s income is considered when establishing the amount of the parent’s child support obligation, and other factors impact the amount of child support including insurance costs, existing child support orders, and the proposed custodial arrangement. Typical child support orders also define obligations for childcare costs, medical expenses, and extracurricular expenses as well as allocating which parent can claim a child’s tax exemption and credits.
Nebraska’s child support guidelines often involve complicated issues that can greatly impact the finances of parents. For this reason, it is best to consult with our experienced child support attorneys to ensure your child support obligation is calculated correctly.
Nebraska does not give a preference in custody cases to either the mother or the father. Both parents are presumed fit to have custody of their children unless proven otherwise proven. Ultimately, the best interest of the child is the overriding consideration for the court’s determination of child custody and visitation. Case law and statutes guide the courts regarding the elements to consider when determining the best interest of a child, but judges have substantial discretion to consider any factor that might impact the child’s best interest regarding custody and visitation matters.
The Nebraska Parenting Act also requires parents attend a parenting education course approved by the court and attend mediation to develop a parenting plan to submit to the court for approval. This parenting plan addresses the fundamental aspects of a child’s care and custody and addresses custody, visitation, holidays, and other important matters. Because child custody matters are often complex, it is best to seek advice and guidance from our experienced attorneys to work through these issues. Our child custody lawyers can help you identify your goals, specify your child’s needs, and determine your best options for obtaining the custody and visitation arrangement you wish to achieve.
If you have questions about a child custody or child support matter, please contact the Law Firm of Berkshire & Burmeister by calling 402-827-7000 to speak with one of our experienced family law attorneys.