Considerations that are made in child support cases

The rules that apply to child support in divorce cases are relatively fluid. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Parents in Pennsylvania who are going through a divorce and have children may want to learn about some of the considerations that are made in most child support cases.

Each family has different circumstances, which the courts look at when determining who the children will live with and if it will be necessary for one of the parents to pay child support. Child support is designed to spread the cost of taking care of the children between both parents.

Some of the factors that the courts look at include how many children the couple has, how much money each parent makes and how much time the children will spend with each parent. They will look at who pays for school expenses, insurance and childcare. The support that is given is usually modifiable. The decision can be altered in the future if the parents’ circumstances change. For example, one person may lose his or her job or become disabled, so his or her ex may need to provide more support. Or an individual may experience an increase in his or her income or receive a large inheritance, which may mean his or her ex-spouse would provide less support.

In cases where spousal support is given, child support will almost always take precedence over it. For example, if, at a future time, a court decides that child support payments will be lowered, it is also likely that the spousal support payments will be lowered as well.

As long as parents focus on the best interests of their children, they can usually work through child custody and child support issues. Someone who has questions about his or her legal rights may want to discuss these issues with a family law attorney. A lawyer could provide advice on all issues relating to divorce and family law.

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