Child Support for Single Parents: Things To Expect

If you have custody of your child following a divorce then child support will be something that you’ll need to get used to. To those of you who are unaware, this is a payment which is made each month by the parent who does not have custody, to help them cover expenses of the child. If you are in any doubt about this from a legal standpoint then contact a family law firm like Prime Lawyers who can guide you through that side of things. 

Once the judge decides how much to be paid, here is what you can expect with relation to child support. 

Fairness

The law is not out to leave one parent having to pay too much for child support and they will always weigh up all of the information to make sure that the amount set is fair. What they have to balance up here is the earnings of the parent who will be paying the child support, and the cost of raising a child. There are situations whereby one parent may not feel that it is fair, but in most cases it is put forth in a fair way by the law. In cases where disputes arise over the fairness of child support arrangements, it is advisable for either parent to consult with a child support lawyer who can provide legal guidance and ensure that the law is applied correctly. 

Shared Custody Situations

 In some situations if the custody is shared and both parents have a similar income, there will be no child support to pay at all. Shared custody is considered as being 35% or more time with each parent. 

Payment Problems

There are very rarely payment problems but there are always instances where there is a problem and payment cannot, or is not made. In such a situation the other parent is still entitled to seeing their child. Should this continue the parent with custody can make steps to force payment or for the other parent to no longer have access to the child. These are of course extreme cases. 

Changing Income

Child support is designed to increase or decrease depending on either parent’s financial situation. If the parent paying child support is receiving more income then they will increase the minimum amount which has to be paid. 

Paying Extras 

If you have a cordial relationship with the other parent then there is nothing to stop either of you paying extra based on certain situations. For example if a child has a trip coming up or something like that, they could potential ask the other parent to contribute more in order to cover it. Child support which the law sets out, is the minimum that has to be paid each month by the parent who doesn’t have custody of the child. 

Spending 

The money which is paid in child support is for the child only, this is not money that should be spent on any other item. The notion of child support is about helping the other parent with the expenses of raising a child, and for no other reason. 

Most situations run very smoothly and although this may be a new concept to you, there is generally nothing to worry about.