When a marriage ends, there are often many questions about child support. Each parent may wonder if they will have to pay, or if they will receive payments. The answer to this question is not always simple, as each family’s situation is unique. In general, courts want to ensure that children are able to maintain their standard of living after a divorce or separation.
Eligibility for receiving child support
If you are the custodial parent, you may be eligible to receive child support payments from the non-custodial parent. In order for this to happen, you must have been married when the child was born, or if you were not married, the father must have acknowledged paternity. If these two conditions get met and there is an order from the family law & divorce court in place, then the non-custodial parent may need to make child support payments.
Eligibility for paying child support
If you are the non-custodial parent, you may need to make child support payments to the parent with custody. As mentioned above, this will happen if you and the other parent come to an agreement or, if you can’t come to an agreement, a judge orders the support payments. The amount of child support that you’re required to pay will be based on many factors, including your income, the number of children you have, and the custody arrangement.
As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of whether or not you will have to pay child support. However, keep in mind that family court orders are typically based on what is in the best interests of the child.
