Heat Point Guard Mario Chalmers Fighting Child Support Increase
Mario Chalmers once again is finding himself in family court. The Miami Heat point guard has been in court a few times in recent years discussing child support for his
daughter, and he is in court again, this time fighting a court order that is trying to increase his monthly child support amount to $10,000 a month.
Chalmers’ initial child support payments started back in 2012, when his ex-girlfriend Brittany Burrough filed for $800 per month in support payments. The court found that
the child’s needs were satisfied with that amount (in addition to what Burrough herself earned at her part-time job), and the filing was approved. Later on in 2013, after
Chalmers signed a new contract that more than quintupled his pay, Burrough had the agreement amended by saying that the child’s needs had risen to $2,200 per month. The
request was approved, and the child support payments were raised to $2,600 a month.
Chalmers agreed to the $2,600 payment because he wanted his daughter to be able to go to the best private schools, and part of the money was specifically for that
purpose. His attorney Nancy Hass, has said that since then, some of Burrough’s lifestyle choices have been alarming, and made it seem as if Burrough’s herself were
benefiting more from the child support payments than the daughter was.
Hass also has argued that $10,000 is drastically above and beyond the child’s needs, and that good fortune on the part of one parent does not necessarily mean the other
parent should immediately benefit. She made it sound as if the request were purely opportunistic in nature.
Burrough’s attorney, Roger Schindler, agreed to a point (saying the increase is drastic), but states that $6,000 of the total payment will be put aside into an account
that both parents will have guardianship over, specifically for their childs’ future needs such as college or emergency medical bills. He also went on to state that even
a large amount like $10,000 is but a small, borderline-insignificant percentage of Chalmers’ monthly income, and that he spends at least that much every month on a
personal assistant.
Chalmers’ attorney is fighting the legality of having a savings component for child support, stating that not only should such a stipulation not be allowed in child
support, but also that there isn’t even such a thing in alimony agreements. He also mentioned that Burrough remains employed only part-time, and is underutilizing her
paralegal education.
It is unknown how the judge will rule at this time.
