Child support refers to the legal responsibility of a parent to provide for their children financially. This responsibility continues even after parents divorce or separate. That means one parent shouldn’t be expected to shoulder all the expenses that come with raising a child, even if that parent ends up getting full custody of the child. The other parent must also provide for the needs of the child and cover the costs of his or her care.
Do You Need to Go to Court?
In most cases, separated or divorced parents don’t have to go to court for child support, says Families Change. They can discuss the matter and agree on how much and when the child support should ideally come in. However, that’s not the same for everyone. Some parents refuse to hand over child support or give only a meager amount that’s not even enough to keep a chicken alive, much less a child. When that happens, one parent can take the other to court until s/he pays child support. A parent can also go to court for child support if the other party isn’t sending it regularly or aren’t sending enough to cover the costs of raising the child.
Why Is There Child Support?
It’s the responsibility of all parents to provide for their offspring. That money goes into the care, maintenance, and future of the child. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to deal with the hassle or want to avoid paying a portion of your income towards your child’s future. As a parent, you have a responsibility to uphold.
Do You Need Help?
If you need to go to court to force your ex to send regular child support, then you’ll need the help of a good child support lawyer. Hire one so you can count on someone who knows how the legal system works to guide you through the process.
