When you get divorced and children are involved, both parents need to continue to provide for them. When one parent gets primary custody, the other parent needs to pay child support. This helps cover the necessities for each child, but some parents try to get out of these agreements. Providing for your children is mandatory though, so a Peoria County child support lawyer from our firm would be happy to help you if your former spouse
What Does Child Support Help Cover?
Child support is meant to help the custodial parent with all of the essential costs of raising a child. This money is meant to go toward:
- Housing
- Medical expenses
- Food
- Education expenses
- Clothing
- Transportation
- Child care costs
- Fees for activities and sports
Both parents have an obligation to provide a child with these kinds of things.
What Can Be Considered When Calculating How Much a Parent Should Pay?
A few different factors need to be considered before a fair child support arrangement can be decided on. Some elements that could make a difference include:
- The income of each parent
- How much time a child spends at each parent’s home
- The individual needs of the child, like medical care for a disability or the cost of taking part in extracurricular activities
Every family is different and the needs of individual children vary. So it’s important to spend some time to develop a fair child support plan that benefits everyone involved.
How Long Should a Child Support Agreement Last?
Many child support agreements end after a child has reached adulthood and finished high school. However, some parents make deals to continue to provide for a child when they pursue education. If a child is enrolled in some kind of schooling full-time and works at a job of their own, the non-custodial parent could be compelled to help them with living and educational expenses.
It could also be necessary to extend a support agreement when children have special needs and are unable to support themselves. Our lawyers can help you figure out the best ways for you and your ex to continue to provide for them.
What If I Can Support My Child On My Own?
Some people really want to cut all ties with their exes after a divorce or breakup. A parent who is entirely self-sufficient might want to ask about waiving child support completely. This request can be granted, but such deals are uncommon. The court generally wants both parents to live up to their financial responsibilities and continue to have relationships with their children.
Contact Our Family Lawyers
If you have issues relating to child support, contact Butler, Giraudo & Meister, P.C. We can schedule a consultation with our team and take the time to hear you out. If we think that one of our experienced family lawyers can help you, we’ll get right to work.
