Divorce Child Support

If minor children are involved in a divorce, then, child support is compulsory. If a Petitioner has minor children, such a Petitioner must include an order for child support.

Amount of Divorce Child Support

Almost all the states in the U.S. have made state laws that comprise of guidelines to decide child support payments. These guidelines are based on the following two points.

• Income of each parent
• The amount of time each parent spends with the child

• Travel related visitation
• Special educational and other needs
• Health care and health insurance
• Child care

• Both parents admit that they have complete information of the rights bestowed on them by the state laws and they have mutually acceded an amount of child support amongst them
• Both parents announce that the child support amount both have decided is in the best interests of the child and would fulfill the requirements of the child sufficiently
• In case of welfare recipients, the county has not been allocated the right to support. Moreover, none of the parents have a public assistance application in pending status

The judge who presides over the divorce case is the ultimate authority regarding child support decisions. This authority can deviate from the guidelines of the state, as he / she thinks is essential.

Types of Divorce Child Support

Direct

One parent disburses an amount to the other parent directly and consistently. This may be done on a monthly, fortnightly or weekly basis.

Indirect

One parent pays money to third parties for expenditures like healthcare costs, after-school activities, lessons, camp and school tuition.

Some characteristics of divorce child support

• If your spouse disburses some amount to the third party directly and this expenditure increases, then, the spouse would have to pay more money
• If your spouse pays the child support amount to you and you pay the third party, then, when the expenditure of third party rises, you have to bear this rise
• If your spouse pays the third party expenses directly, then, the spouse might feel more involved in the lives of the children. Such spouses are reliable
• It may happen that your spouse is obligated to disburse the third party expenses. Then, you would have to pursue whether the spouse is making the payment and at the same time the third parties might hound you

Impact of child's age on support

Consider the following condition. The court has ordered you to disburse child support and you are a recipient of spousal support. Assume that the child support amount is much larger than the spousal support amount.

If the children are of less age, then you would be required to pay child support for a longer period than the period for which you receive maintenance.

If the children are teenagers, then child support would be necessary for lesser period of time than the duration for which you receive spousal support.

Moreover, spousal support is tax-deductible while for child support there is no tax deduction.

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