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Child Support Attorneys in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville Child Support Lawyers Protecting Your Family’s Future
A parent’s most important responsibility is to provide for their children — ensuring they have financial stability, security, and access to life’s essentials. Loving, compassionate parents want what’s best for their kids, and that includes meeting their financial needs both now and in the future.
At Wykoff & Sikes, our experienced Knoxville child support lawyers understand how stressful and emotional financial disputes can be after a divorce or separation. We’re here to protect your rights, help you understand your legal obligations, and ensure that your child support order is fair and accurate under Tennessee child support law.
Understanding Child Support in Tennessee
Under Tennessee law, both biological parents are legally required to provide financial support for their children. The Tennessee Child Support Guidelines are used to calculate how much support should be paid and how frequently payments must be made. These guidelines are designed to make the process consistent and fair, but mistakes can still happen.
If your payments have been incorrectly calculated or you’re not receiving the full amount owed, you don’t have to accept it. Your child’s financial future and your own stability are too important to risk. Our Tennessee child support attorneys can review your case, identify any errors, and fight to ensure your support order reflects the true circumstances of your situation.
How Child Support Is Calculated in Tennessee
Tennessee uses an income shares model to calculate child support. This model estimates the total financial contribution both parents would make if they lived together and then divides that amount proportionally based on each parent’s income.
While this system is meant to be fair, the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines can be complex. Without an experienced child support attorney in Knoxville, you could end up with an obligation that’s too high or receive less support than your child deserves. Failing to pay support as ordered can even result in serious legal penalties — including jail time.
Our Child Support Legal Services
At Wykoff & Sikes, we provide comprehensive legal support for all aspects of child support law in Tennessee. Whether you’re establishing, enforcing, or modifying an order, we’ll stand by you every step of the way.
1. Initial Child Support Orders
We help parents prepare for child support hearings by gathering key documentation to ensure the court accurately calculates payment obligations. This includes verifying income, health insurance costs, work-related childcare expenses, and recurring uninsured medical costs.
2. Enforcement of Child Support Orders
If the other parent is failing to pay as required, our Knoxville child support attorneys can help you file a petition for enforcement. We’ll work to hold the non-paying parent accountable and collect past-due payments. In Tennessee, unpaid child support (arrears) accrues 12% annual interest, and we can help you recover those funds for your children.
3. Child Support Modifications
Life circumstances change — and when they do, your support order may need to change too. If your income, expenses, or custody arrangement has shifted, our child support modification lawyers in Tennessee can help you petition the court for an adjustment. We’ll advise you on what qualifies as a “significant variance” and ensure you’re fully prepared for mediation or trial.
Why Choose Wykoff & Sikes
With decades of combined experience, our Tennessee family law attorneys have successfully represented parents throughout Knoxville and East Tennessee in a wide range of child support matters. We understand that every case is unique, and we take the time to listen, evaluate your options, and develop a personalized strategy designed to achieve the best outcome for you and your family.
Speak With an Experienced Knoxville Child Support Attorney
- Whether you need to establish child support, enforce an existing order, or seek a modification due to changed circumstances, Wykoff & Sikes is here to help. Our compassionate and skilled Knoxville child support lawyers will fight to protect your rights and secure a fair resolution that supports your children’s best interests.
Helping You and Your Children Get the Support You Deserve
How Is Child Support Calculated in Knoxville, TN?
Tennessee law utilizes the Income Shares worksheet in conjunction with the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines to establish child support payments. If you are curious about what your child support payment may be, you can use The State of Tennessee Child Support Calculator.
How Is Child Support Enforced in Tennessee?
We are often asked “What happens when one parent does not pay child support?” Paying child support is a legal obligation, so not doing so means the parent is violating their court order. Consequently, they are subject to civil or criminal contempt of court and can even be incarcerated.
Other options include:
- Driver’s License Suspension
- Liens
- Lowered Credit Score
- Passport Restrictions
- Tax Refund Seizure
- Wage Garnishment
Contact a Child Support Attorney in Knoxville TN
Former spouses have the legal obligation to support their child or children until they become an independent adult in Tennessee. Child support payments provide the primary residential parent with the resources to provide for the child or children. If your former spouse has failed to pay or refused to pay child support our attorneys can help you. There are methods available to enforce this contempt of court. Contact a Knoxville child support attorney TODAY for help. The attorneys at Wykoff & Sikes, PLLC will hard to make your that your rights are protected.
Attorney at Law
Wayne Wykoff
Wayne focuses his practice in the areas of social security disability and domestic law (including divorce, child custody, child support). Wayne was admitted to the practice of law in 1993 and his practice continually in east Tennessee since that time achieving good and just result for his clients on a regular basis. Wayne enjoys mediating and is a rule 31 listed family mediator in Tennessee. Wayne can give you value as a mediator whether you are negotiating retirement accounts and other complex financial issues or dealing with the much more important issues of who will raise the children and under what circumstances.
Wayne graduated from East Tennessee State University in 1980 with a degree in computer science and graduated from the University Tennessee law school in December 1992. Wayne was admitted to the Tennessee bar in April 1993 and was admitted to the federal courts in the Eastern District of Tennessee in 1993 also.
Wayne was born and raised in Johnson City, but has called Knoxville his home for the last 25+ years. Wayne enjoys his family consisting of his wife and 2 boys and playing tennis and golf on a regular basis.