Divorce and Child Support

Divorce and Child Support

It is no secret that divorces can have negative psychological effects on children. Children of divorce often experience feelings of loss, resentment, anger, and confusion. Unfortunately, along with the emotional effects of divorce come the economic effects.

In any divorce involving minor children, child support is mandatory. There are currently over 40 million parents in the United States involved with a government child support enforcement agency. The main goal of child support laws and agreements is to maintain some sort of stability in the child’s standard of living. Divorce is a hectic and confusing time in a child’s life and child support laws aim to provide and maintain a sense of order for the child as he or she makes the transition from one household to a two household family.

The court decides how much a parent must pay in child support mainly based on the parents’ income and the amount of time the child is in custody of each parent. A parent’s income may include: wages, bonuses, disability payments, veteran’s benefits, interests, tips, pensions, social security benefits, and more. The court will also take into account the quality of life the child experienced before the parents’ divorce and any specific needs of the child, like physical or mental disability.

According to BB Law Group PLLC, enforcing child care agreements is critical as it establishes regular schedules, allows for financial security of spouses and children, and mandates that the law must be followed. The consequences for not paying child support can be severe. These consequences can include property seizure, wage garnishment, suspension of your driver’s license, and even arrest and jail time.

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