Child support or maintenance is the term used for the ongoing payment for the financial care and support of children in a marriage or relationship which has ended.
Child support or maintenance is the term used for the ongoing payment for the financial care and support of children,
in a marriage or relationship which has ended.
This maintenance is based on the idea that both parents, whether custodial or not, are responsible for the financial support of their children. Most times, it is the non-custodial parent that will pay child support to the parent who has the children.
It is seen that the custodial parent has already contributed to the support of the child by raising it. In the case of joint custody, the support will be split, based on the individual incomes of both parties and how much time they each spend with the children.
The calculation of child support varies in different circumstances, as it allows for several influential factors:
• The child's needs
• The ability of the non-custodial parent to pay
• The standard of living previous to the split
When a sum has been decided on, a date is then set for when the maintenance should be paid. Not all cases go through the courts though.
Some parents will arrange maintenance voluntarily for the support of their children. This money is then used for the children's expenses; food, shelter, their education and medical needs. It is not regarded as "spending money" for the child, more like living costs.
The period of time for which this support is to be paid varies again from case to case. Usually, child support payments stop when the child has reached 18, however in some cases, they will continue until the child has finished third-level education.
It is essential to research what's out there regarding your child support options, so as not to create unnecessary acrimony between you and your ex-spouse.
Difficult battles regarding the children will make the whole process worse on them.
Learn more about child support rights and joint custody of children in fractured relationships at my blog.
Stop by http://ChildJointCustody.com now and start the process of understanding how best to provide for your child in the battle ahead.
