Child Support 101: What Each Parent Needs to Know

If you've been preparing to separate from your partner, it's important to understand how child support will work in your case. Whether you were married for five years or fifteen, here's what you need to know about child support and your family.

So you've made the decision to separate from your partner. You understand that you'll typically need to meet with a lawyer, separate your assets, and begin the process of moving to a new home. When you have children together, you need to also consider the need for child suppport payments to be exchanges. When it comes to separation and divorce, either party may be required to pay child support. A number of factors go into determining which parent pays child support, as well as how much child support is required to be paid. Here's what you need to know.

What exactly is child support?

Child support payments are designed to protect your child when you and your partner separate. It's no secret that all of your lives will change; however, it's not your child's fault that you and your partner are separating. Child support is designed to ensure that your child's lifestyle is impacted as little as possible by the separation and that they are able to experience the same standard of living.

How is child support calculated?

There are a number of factors that go into determining the amount of child support that will be paid. It's important to stay focused on the purpose of child support. If you're the parent who will need to pay this, it may be easy to feel frustrated if you think the amount is too high. Understand that the judge will consider your salary, as well as your former spouse's income amount when calculating the amount of child support to be paid. It's also important to remember that when multiple children are included in your family, the amount of child support will be higher to reflect this.

What's the most important thing to remember about child support?

Emotions often run high during the divorce process, which means it's easy to become frustrated or agitated when dealing with your former partner. It's important to remember, however, that your children still deserve to live the best lives possible. Child support is designed to ensure that your kids are still able to continue with their normal activities, such as sports or piano lessons, and to receive the care they need to be their best.

If you have questions or concerns about parenting plans or parenting time, it's important to consult with an attorney who can offer you guidance, assistance, and leadership during this time. Your attorney understands the complicated process of divorce and can assist you along the way, so reach out and schedule an appointment. Your attorney wants to help you have the best experience possible when it comes to understanding child support payments and divorce.