3 Potential Concerns About Child Support

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Any couple going through the divorce process with children will need to deal with child support.  Since this is likely something that most people do not have experience with, it is common to have concerns about how child support works. Here are three questions you may have about owing child support:

How Is The Child Support Payment Made?

The process of actually making a child support payment varies based on what the court decides.  Some jurisdictions allow a parent to make direct payments to their former spouse, while others will require that they pay the court and they will disburse the money the parent with custody.

In situations with direct payments, make sure to keep records of all child support payments made.  It is ideal to make the payment as a check so that there is a direct paper trail for when the check was written and when it was cashed.  You should avoid making the payment in cash, because your former spouse may claim that you did not make the payment.  

It is important that you give the full amount of child support that is due through a check, and not make it up in other ways.  For example, you may have paid for a large bill related to the child that was roughly the same amount as the child support payments. Even if you pay this bill and it is agreed upon between both parents to cover the child support, the court may not view it as an actual child support payment.

What Can Happen If A Child Support Payment Is Missed?

There are legal actions that can be taken to ensure that child support payments are made. The missed payment can be reported to a family court, and it will be taken out of your paychecks through wage garnishment.  There can also be penalties related to missed child support payments, such as a fine or jail time.

Can Child Support Payments Be Modified In The Future?

If you cannot make a child support payment, it is best to discuss it with a family court instead of not paying it. Losing a job or dealing with a particularly large medical bill related to your child can cause a problem with not having the money for the payment.

A judge can look at your situations and make changes to the payment if necessary.  Just make sure to have documentation regarding your situation so that you can present it to a judge. Contact a law office like Armstrong Betker and Schaeffer PLC for more information. 


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