Child Support
We believe both parents have a duty to support their children, financially and emotionally — and that support should be fair to both the child and the parents, without bankrupting either one. Fathers for Equal Rights doesn’t advocate skipping child support obligations. We do want non-custodial parents to understand their rights, avoid unfair or inflated orders, and get support set at a realistic, sustainable amount.
This section covers how Texas calculates child support, what happens if your circumstances change, and where to go for help.
The Problem With The Laws In Texas
Why Texas child support guidelines rarely account for shared parenting time or real family circumstances.
Read more →Retroactive Child Support
How Texas courts decide whether to order retroactive child support, and how much.
Read more →Addional Factors
Factors a Texas court can consider when deciding whether to deviate from standard child support guidelines.
Read more →Child Support Tragedies
Falling behind on child support is a real crisis for many parents — here's how to act early, and where to get help.
Read more →Closing A Child Support Account
What's required to close a Texas child support account once a child turns 18 or graduates.
Read more →10 Things To Understand
Ten practical things to know about how the Texas child support system works.
Read more →How Much Should I Pay
How Texas calculates the standard guideline percentage for child support.
Read more →What If I Can’t Afford It
How to ask a Texas court for a child support amount different from the standard guideline.
Read more →What If I Lose My Job
What to do immediately if you lose your job and can't afford your child support order.
Read more →Changing A Child Support Order
The process for legally changing a Texas child support order.
Read more →Can I Go To Jail For Not Paying
Yes — Texas courts can jail parents for contempt over unpaid child support. Here's how that process works.
Read more →Paying Support vs. Visitation Rights
Why child support and visitation are legally separate in Texas, even though they often feel linked.
Read more →Support Deviation vs. Tax Benefits
Why the other parent's tax benefits are worth raising when negotiating child support.
Read more →The Subversion Of Child Support
A look at the debate over whether standard child support formulas fairly account for shared parenting time.
Read more →O.A.G. Child Support Services
What the Texas Attorney General's child support division does, and how to work with them.
Read more →Child Support Guidelines
The standard Texas percentage guidelines for calculating child support.
Read more →