Child support payments serve an important purpose for both parents. For the paying parent, this is a way that they can provide for their children even though they aren't there physically on a daily basis. For the parent who receives the payments, they might take some pressure off of their finances.
Child support payments are used for a variety of expenses
Child support payments aren't usually a favorite topic for the men and women who have to make these payments. In some cases, allegations about what the money is being used for are passed about. The money is meant to be used on a variety of expenses that pertain to the child. One thing that all parents have to remember is that these payments don't have to be kept separate from other money that the recipient has.
Work out a deal for handling school costs now
We recently discussed some of the steps divorced parents must take when their children are going back to school. One of the aspects of the back-to-school season is that children have the added expense of school supplies. This is on top of regular expenses that the child has and things like extracurricular activity fees. It is imperative that parents discuss how these expenses will be handled before the day it is time to pay them.
Keep records if you pay or receive alimony
Spousal support is a factor in some divorces, but not all of them. There are several things that you have to consider when you think that your case might be one of the few that does have this component.
Spousal support has some very specific points to know
The end of a marriage signals the end of pooling finances together to pay household bills. In some instances, one party will have to pay the other spousal support. While this might not seem like something that should happen, spousal support actually provides a valuable safety net for some individuals.
Child support 101: Understand the basics of these payments
Child support orders are the cornerstone of the financial agreement with your ex to provide support for your children. You have to make sure that you have thought about the terms of this order and understand what it all means.
What are the penalties for late child support payments?
California takes child support payment enforcement seriously. The state requires parents to pay their court-ordered child support obligations on time, every time. Failure to do so can result in very serious criminal, financial and other consequences.
Plan your child custody agreement carefully
Your child custody agreement is what is going to govern the relationship that you and your ex have after the divorce. This is something that must be planned carefully. In most cases, it is best for you and your ex to work together to come up with the terms of the agreement. This might not be easy, but it is usually the ideal way to handle the situation.
Child support payments serve many purposes
Child support payments aren't often viewed as a privilege unless you have the best approach possible to having to support your child. Instead, many parents view this as an obligation. Some parents even view these payments as money that they are paying to the other parent instead of realizing that the money is being use to support your offspring.
Many factors impact spousal support
There are some divorces that include one party asking that the other party pay alimony. This isn't something that is done automatically. If you think that you are due spousal support or if your ex is asking for this monetary support, you might have some questions about what factors determine alimony eligibility.
