According to statistics, child support constitutes one of the biggest debt issues in America. In basic terms, many parents just choose to abdicate their financial responsibility to bring up their children.
Fortunately, this issue has not gone unnoticed by the courts and enforcement authorities. It is possible to get the required support for your child. In fact, in some states, people with child support debt are denied important benefits. For instance, in Texas a person cannot buy a car if they don’t pay their child support dues.
However, when it comes, to child support, it is important to have the correct facts from the start. The following post explains what child support is and what it is not:
This Is What Child Support IS…And Is NOT
The legal definition of child support (according to Legal Dictionary) is funds ordered by the court for one parent to pay to the other to assist in the cost of raising their shared children. Support is, most often, determined by a standardized income table and factors in number of children, incomes of both parents, and the custody arrangement.
The intent of support is to offset the burden of child-related costs so that the parent with less income, or who has the children a greater amount of time, is able to maintain the children’s needs and so that the children’s standard of living between homes remains as consistent as possible.
As we all know, what is written in the law books and behind the intent of such rules is not always what is experienced in real life! Child support remains one of the most hotly-contested issues of divorce as many children go without the support that could be used to help take care of them. Read more at Divorced Moms…
The purpose of child support is to ensure that children grow up with the quality of life they deserve based on their parents’ best abilities to provide.
Since it is a sad fact that many parents try to avoid paying up, you need to know who is liable to pay child support. The following post sheds light on this:
Who is Obligated to Pay Child Support?
Who is responsible for child support payments? The non-custodial parent, the non-custodial adoptive parent, both biological parents, and sometimes a non-biological parent taking on the responsibility of parenting long term are responsible parties. You don’t have to be married to be responsible for paying child support and leaving your spouse won’t automatically leave you off the hook.
If you are the biological parent, then you will need to pay your portion of child support.
There are times when a special needs child will continue to receive child support beyond 18 years of age. If a child is adopted by someone else or is active military, then child support payments no longer apply. Read more at The Balance…
As you see, the requirement to pay child support is a mandatory responsibility. No matter how much some parents may try to avoid paying, they remain debtors who are legally bound to provide for their offspring.
Wondering how much support your child should receive? In North Carolina, there are specific laws that guide how to calculate the support, as indicated in the post below:
How Do North Carolina Courts Determine Child Support?
In most cases, a court in North Carolina will set child support according to a strict mathematical calculation established in the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines. This calculation takes a number of different factors into account, including:
- The parents’ gross monthly incomes
- Pre-existing child support obligations or other dependent children for whom the supporting parent is responsible
- Any work-related daycare or childcare expenses paid by the parents
- Health insurance premiums paid by either parent for the child
- “Extraordinary expenses” paid on behalf of a child, which can include things like expenses for visitation-related travel or private school tuition. Read more at Myers Legal…
There’s more to child support than meets the eye, and you need to have all the facts right to have a winning case should you need to file for it. Navigating these complex matters is best done with the help of a qualified attorney.
Meek Law Firm has successfully handled countless child support cases. For more information, contact attorney Jonathan Meek today to discuss the specifics of your situation. Call (704) 848-6335 or use the contact form on the website to schedule a consultation appointment.
Keep reading about Gain A Better Understanding of Child Support Issues in North Carolina at Meek Law Firm
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