Financial obligations that are set during a divorce must be followed as they are ordered. You can't decide that you aren't going to pay child support just because you want to spend the money on your own needs. Not abiding by the child support order can make things more difficult for your ex, but it is also unfair to your children and might lead to them not getting the things they need. We realize that things happen in life sometimes that might force you to make difficult financial decisions.
Take support orders seriously in your divorce
When you are going through a divorce, the topic of support payments might come up. There are two types of these payments that you have to think about – spousal and child. These serve different purposes, but there is a chance that you will have to pay for both of them. We know that this might not sound like something you want to do, but you have to be prepared to handle these support matters if the court orders to do so.
Child support payments might be challenging after remarrying
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.
