The Japanese have a term, kenzoku, which translated literally means family.. The connotation suggests a bond between people who've made a similar commitment and who possibly therefore share a similar destiny.
The laws in different states vary on whether a stepparent in this situation may have child custody rights or pay child support. In some states and situations, the stepparent may be ordered to pay child support if the stepparent loses primary physical custody of the child.
Each state's laws determine how much child support a non-custodial parent must pay after a divorce, and the rates and method of calculation vary between states. These payments are intended to pay for a child's normal expenses, such as housing, food, clothing and education.n this model, the state sets child support as a percentage of the non-custodial parent's income, increasing the percentage as the number of children increases. For example, Texas non-custodial parents generally pay 20 percent of their income for one child, increasing to over 40 percent for six or more children.