» Financial Issues

New Missouri Child Support Guidelines in Effect as of July 1, 2017

Effective July 1, 2017, Missouri’s New Form 14 and new Child Support Guidelines took effect. Notable changes to the previous law include: Changes to the presumed amounts in the chart, especially at the lower and higher income levels Changed sch… Read More

Child support continued for child over age 18 with mental disability

Recent Case from the Missouri Court of Appeals: Mother appeals from a judgment modifying her child support obligation to continue support for a child beyond the age of eighteen. Mother argues that it was against the weight of the evidence to find the… Read More

Modification of spousal support order requires substantial and continuing change in circumstances

Recent Case: From the Missouri Court of Appeals, Modification of Spousal Support vs. Property Division Appellant Husband appeals the trial court’s judgment reducing, but not terminating, his maintenance obligation, retroactive to February 2015, and… Read More

New Missouri Child Support Guidelines and Amounts to take effect July 1, 2017

From the Supreme Court of Missouri: “It is ordered that effective July 1, 2017, Civil Procedure Form No. 14, entitled “Child Support Amount Calculation Worksheet”, along with the directions, comments for use, and examples for comple… Read More

Failure to include holiday or vacation schedule in parenting plan is trial court error; Voluntary reduction in Income does not support reduction in child support

Recent Case from the Missouri Court of Appeals: Parenting plans must contain holiday and vacation schedules; voluntary reduction in income does not support child support reduction Mother appeals the trial court’s judgment of modification for a fail… Read More

Restrictions on visitation, and subsequent removal of them, both require a ruling on child’s best interest

Recent Case: When a custody order contains restricted visitation, those restrictions must not be lifted, or even phased out, until a subsequent hearing to determine whether removal of the restrictions is in the child’s best interest. Evidence t… Read More

LAGERS Pension divided as a future asset

Recent Case: LAGERS Pension present value of zero but future payment divided Missouri Statutes require division of marital property, including local government retirement system benefits. The Circuit court treated the defined benefit pension as a fut… Read More

Modification of Maintenance appropriate on Voluntary Retirement and Increase in Resources of Obligee; No entitlement to attorney fees just because of lesser income.

Recent Case: Wife appeals Judgment of the Circuit Court modifying her spousal maintenance award and denial of attorney fees Statutes base maintenance on, and limit it to, need, and allow modification when a substantial and continuing change in circum… Read More

2 year statute of limitations applies to set aside a paternity and child support order, even if fraud exists.

Mother and Father (T.B.) had a baby in 2000. Mother told T.B. he was the father, and he signed an affidavit acknowledging paternity. The Family Support Division made an administrative determination that T.B. was the legal father, and ordered T.B. to… Read More

Spousal Support (Maintenance) Denied in Missouri Divorce

Recent Case: Missouri Court of Appeals upholds Judgment denying spousal support when sufficient property is awarded Wife appeals from the trial court’s judgment that dissolved her marriage with Husband, divided marital property and marital debt… Read More