Almost all child custody cases come with child support. This financial support isn’t decided without careful consideration. Instead, the court has very specific things that it has to consider when trying to determine which parent is going to pay child support and how much those payments will be.
If you are in the midst of a case that involves child custody, you should understand some basic points about these payments. You might be surprised at what goes into them.
The child’s needs
The child’s needs are the most important factor in child support cases. There are some cases in which the court might order child support payments that are higher than the bare minimum. One example of this is when the child has special needs.
The parents’ incomes and assets
The court will look into your income and assets, as well as the other parent’s. This matters because a parent without a substantial income and with only limited assets wouldn’t necessarily be able to pay higher child support to a parent who has substantial income and vast resources.
The time the child spends with each parent
The amount of time that the child spends with each parent has an impact on what child support has to be paid. There is a chance that if the child spends equal time with both parents, no child support will be ordered. Uneven time splits are more likely going to require child support from the parent who has the child less.
Medical care, school and activity costs
Child support orders don’t only deal with the regularly occurring monthly payment. They can also include providing the child with the medical care he or she needs. Uninsured medical expenses, school costs and activity costs might all be included in a child support order.
Some factors are not considered
The court isn’t concerned about either parent’s bills. Some parents try to say that they need lower payments because they already have to pay for certain bills, but this isn’t relevant to the child support case. Instead, the court has to focus on the financial support that the child needs.
Any parent who is going through a child support case needs to think carefully about what the child support orders mean. Ensuring that the children get the financial support they need is crucial so that the children have the necessities to live life. You should make sure that you know what the court will consider, especially if you are trying to work out an agreement with your ex.