Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Family Finance: Tips For Calculating A Fair Child Support Amount

Originally published by Robert Kraft.

Family Finance Tips For Calculating A Fair Child Support Amount

No matter how two parents may feel about each other, they are jointly responsible for raising their child. In most states, the law says that a noncustodial parent must provide child support to the custodial parent to provide for the child’s basic needs. Support payments may also be used to pay for educational or entertainment expenses a child may accrue. How do you know how much you should pay or expect to be paid to raise a son or daughter?

Most States Have Guidelines Used To Create Support Orders

Typically, a state will have guidelines that a judge must use to create a child support order. These guidelines take into account the incomes of both parents, whether a parent is supporting another child and whether a child support payment could create a hardship for the person making it. Once an order is issued, it is binding on both parties, but a child support order may be modified in the future if circumstances change.

An Attorney May Help Parents Come To An Agreement On Their Own

As long as it meets the best interests of the child, parents can create a support agreement that works for them. In some cases, it means that a parent pays more or less than what state guidelines call for, but it may be beneficial for noncustodial parents because they won’t face automatic penalties for failure to pay or may be able to contribute in other ways. An attorney, like the professionals at Divorce Matters, may be able to help broker a child support agreement outside of court with minimal stress or drama.

Time Is Just As Important As Money

Parents should realize that spending time with a child is just as important as spending money on the child. Therefore, a noncustodial parent should seek as many parental rights as possible, which may include visitation or the right to contact a child by phone or email. Research has shown that children who have access to both parents in their lives have fewer emotional or behavioral problems as adults. It also shows a child that adults can put their issues aside for the benefit of others.

In a divorce case, the interests of the child are held above the interests of either parent. Therefore, those who have children will need to come to an agreement with the child’s other parent that helps ensure that the child’s needs are met. This is true even if it means that they have to make personal sacrifices to do so.

Author Bio: Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer living in Boston, MA. When not writing, she enjoys reading and indoor rock climbing. Find her on Google+

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Curated by Texas Bar Today. Follow us on Twitter @texasbartoday.



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