Child Support- Senate Bill 550

According to Star-Telegram, child support changes in Texas have gone into effect which will require parents who pay child support to start providing dental insurance. This is an addition to the already required health insurance they need to provide for their kids.

Annette Hernandez, communications director for the Texas Attorney General’s Child Support Division, says not everyone will be affected by this law right away.

“It’s really important to make sure the public understands this is not something to panic about,” she said. “This is not an automatic change. This is dictated by the courts.”

There were more than 1.5 million open cases across the Lone Star State, according to new statistics provided by the Texas Attorney General’s office. The law going into effect comes from Senate Bill 550, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2015. This Senate Bill’s purpose is to provide dental aid to children if it can be acquired at a reasonable cost, which means the cost should not be more than 1.5 percent of the annual income for the parent paying child support.

New cases requiring child support likely will require the parent making payments to provide dental insurance for their child. But if child support payments already are underway and health insurance already is being provided, if there’s no separate financial change for the parent receiving the payments, a request for dental insurance isn’t enough of a reason to bring that case to court, Hernandez said.

“It’s not an automatic thing,” she said. “Customers who already have ongoing child support obligations have to request a modification of their case. … They can’t be modified solely on the addition of dental support.”

Hiring a Child Support Attorney

The attorneys at Edmondson Law, PLLC understand that this area of law can be complex and we encourage you to seek the professional help of a family law attorney. We are experienced in obtaining the best results for your case involving your children. So, if you are looking for a trusted advocate who will provide quality legal representation, contact us today and schedule a free consultation. We are here to answer any questions you may have to help put your mind at ease regarding your family.

 

Information, Not Legal Advice. We provide the information on this website as a public service. The legal landscape is constantly changing and being modified by state law and case law. As a result, we cannot promise that this information is always up-to-date and reflective of the most current jurisprudence.

We do not intend this information to be legal advice. By providing this information, we are not acting as your lawyer. If you need legal advice, you should contact a lawyer through our number (972) 442-8326 or contact another attorney of your choosing.