Why Is Child Support Law Important?
Child support is a legal obligation for both parents to help provide financial stability for their children. Each state sets its child support guidelines. The courts consider the specific needs of the children, the custodial parent’s income, and the ability of the non-custodial parent to pay.
It’s a Legal Obligation
Child support law Anthem, AZ, deals with the legal obligation of non-custodial parents to contribute financially to rearing their children. Parents who are not together must help with the costs of raising their children. This includes things like housing, food, clothing, and daycare costs. The court may order a parent, the obligor, to pay the other parent, the obligee, on a set schedule. Sometimes, the judge may earmark child support payments for specific costs such as school fees or medical expenses. Many states have formulas that the courts use to calculate child support. The courts follow these formulas and only deviate from them if a situation requires special considerations. The courts also generally make the obligor responsible for a portion of the cost of the child visiting the non-custodial parent or obligor. This can include entertainment and other costs associated with the visit. These are essential obligations that the courts take seriously. They do not usually want to put parents in jail for failing to meet these obligations, but they have ways of helping them fulfill their legal duties.
It’s a Way to Enforce Custody
When a parent fails to pay child support, it can negatively impact custody. Enforcing this obligation is essential to protect the rights of both parents and children. There are many reasons why a court may order the payment of child support. In most cases, the court will set a specific amount of money that the non-custodial parent must provide monthly to the custodial parent. This money can help cover healthcare costs, clothing, and food. It can also help pay for extracurricular activities, summer camp, and other entertainment-related items for the kids. However, the court will not allow the parent receiving child support to use the money for personal purposes or abuse the system. Instead, the court will enforce this obligation through income withholding or garnishment, which involves a parent’s employer taking funds from their paycheck and sending them to an enforcement agency that distributes them to the custodial parent.
It’s a Way to Help Children
Raising children is expensive, and it’s up to both parents to help them live as close to an everyday life as possible. Financial support can only do so much to provide this sense of normalcy, but it can be a big part of helping children maintain their standard of living after divorce. Courts in every state take the responsibility of enforcing child support payments very seriously. This is because it’s an inherent duty that parents have to their offspring and one that is made concrete by the law. The courts in every state take allegations of non-payment very seriously. They will use whatever means to collect the outstanding amount, including attaching wages, seizing property, and taking tax refunds. Even jail time may be on the table in extreme cases.
It’s a Way to Avoid Jail Time
Child support is a meaningful way to keep children out of poverty. Single parents face a lot of financial stress when raising kids because they need to provide them with a place to live, food, and clothing. If a parent can prove they are struggling, they can work with the court to modify the amount or to avoid jail time. Non-payment of child support can lead to incarceration (short-term, primarily in local jails). Those arrested on criminal charges for not paying child support can have their professional licenses suspended and have liens placed on the property. In addition, most states are now looking at ways to help parents get back on track if they need to catch up in payments by offering diversion and employment programs. They also try to ensure the amount is based on current earnings, making them less likely to fall behind and accrue debt. A child support lawyer can help you determine your options for keeping up with child support obligations.