Divorced parents need to understand the laws about child support. It’s important for the parent who is paying child support because you don’t know if you’re paying the right amount unless you know the laws. It’s also important for the parent who is receiving child support because you can’t understand why you’re receiving the amount of money you do unless you know the laws. To help you understand the laws about child support it’s helpful to look at the child support forms you fill out, the requirements your state has for calculating child support, and to know about the child support software that your state uses.
In order to receive child support you have to fill out the correct paperwork. You can find the forms you need at the courthouse and many states offer them online. Child support is a separate issue from visitation and you should treat it as such. Just because the parent doesn’t pay child support doesn’t mean that parent is denied visitation rights. Also, filing for child support doesn’t mean that the other parent suddenly gets visitation rights. Both parents fill out forms about child support. This is so the court can determine what parent pays and what parent receives. Once the papers are turned in, the child support because a court order and it is legally binding.
Every state asks for different information to determine child support. Some of the most common things asked for are gross and net income, how much you pay for insurance, if the children are on your insurance, and other expenses. It’s important to be honest when filling out the paperwork. If you get caught trying to cheat the system you’ll end up with a much bigger hassle than paying a little bit more child support.
Almost every state uses a time-share percentage or overnight percentage to calculate child support. This is important because if you want to pay less child support, come up with an agreement where you spend more time with your child–or have the child spend more time overnight.
Because states use the time-share and overnight percentages, it is essential that you get the right figure for this. Many times the court will make a guess, but that guess turns into a factual amount that you either pay or receive. Take the time to really figure this out. The court uses a child support software to calculate the child support. It just enters in the information you put on your form and it calculates it. Some states have multiple software programs they use, and some just have one or two. Often you can find a child support software so that you can do your own calculations. This allows you to come up with multiple scenarios and see what one works best for you.
Child support is an important part of the custody agreement. You want to make sure that you understand the laws about it so you feel confident that you are either paying or receiving the correct amount. Make sure that you fill out the paperwork properly, know the information that your state bases child support calculations on, and become familiar with the software that your state uses.
Learn more about child custody laws in your state and get more information about child support software.
Article Source: Child Custody Laws and Child Support