Child Support

 Child Support : What is it?

Child support is defined as a payment made from one parent to the other for support of their children after a divorce or separation. Child support payments are usually made from the parent who does not have custody of the children to the parent who does. When a married couple has children, the husband is automatically deemed the father and may be required to pay child support after divorce. In cases involving children out of wedlock, paternity must be established before child support can be imposed.

The amount of child support paid is usually based on the incomes of both parents and how much time the children spend with each parent. For instance, if the mother earns less money than the father and the children spend more time with her, the father will generally pay more child support. However, it is important to remember that this will not always be the case, and that the courts determine the amount of child support awarded on a case-by-case basis (within certain child support guidelines). There are several factors the court takes into consideration when determining child support. These include:

• Income of Parent Without Custody - The court will take into account how much this parent makes and how much he or she can afford to pay.
• Income of Parent with Custody - The court will take how much this parent makes into account and how much further support is needed to take care of the children.
• Needs of Children - These can include healthcare, education, and other special needs.
• Standard of Living Before Divorce - This applies only to the children. The court takes the parents' standard of living into account when determining alimony awards.

While each state has it own specific child support laws, you can obtain a child support calculator that should give you a rough approximation of expected payments. If you need legal advice on child support issues like paternity, enforcement, and recovery, please contact an experienced family lawyer today.

More reading on Child Support at:

• Administration for Children and Families
• Child Support Statistics

This web site is designed for family law and divorce informational purposes only. The family law information contained herein is not guaranteed to be accurate, up to date, or complete. It does not constitute legal advice nor does it constitute the formation of an family lawyer attorney/client relationship. Individuals accessing this site are encouraged to seek independent counsel for advice regarding their individual legal issues. No person should act or rely on any information in this family law lawyer search without seeking the advice of an family law attorney. Copyright © Lawyerfind Network 2006