Child/Spousal Support

Posey & Franzi is a family law firm located in California that specializes in child and spousal support. We are familiar with the Ostler/Smith method, which calculates support based on the payor’s base wages and a percentage of all income earned above the base amount, to ensure that all income is subject to  support. We also use DissoMaster, a program that the court uses to calculate child support and temporary spousal support. We know that in order to find all income the court needs to not just review tax returns but W-2’s as well to ensure that voluntary deductions to 401(k)s are added into the payor’s income. Other factors that we consider include various tax breaks that can free up more funds for support, such as mortgage interest deductions and property tax breaks. If needed, we may also seek orders for Vocational Evaluations to determine a fair wage for the recipient. For spousal support, we conduct a concrete analysis of the Marital Standard of Living under Family Code section 4320, including the parties’ ability to save during the marriage, average gross earnings during the marriage, and the lifestyle during the marriage.