Who is Responsible for Child Support in Cases of Joint Custody?
In cases of joint custody, the parents share parenting time and decide major issues about their child’s welfare and upbringing. However, some parents are confused about who is responsible for paying child support.
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In most states, child support is determined based on the incomes of both parents and the amount of time their children spend with each parent. If there is a large disparity between the two incomes, courts may choose to assign a higher child support payment to the lower-earning parent.
If you’re unsure of how much you should pay in child support, or how your situation might affect your monthly payments, it’s important to speak with an experienced family law attorney in your area. He or she can help you determine the most accurate and fair amount of child support, and how it will be split between both parents.
There are different types of joint custody arrangements that are common in divorce situations, including shared legal custody and shared physical custody. Some arrangements involve the parents sharing decision-making responsibilities for the children and living together for some period of time (joint legal custody), while others involve the parents splitting the children’s time equally with each other (joint physical custody).
Most joint legal custody cases are based on a principle of shared parenting, where both parents must be willing to work out their differences and agree to make important decisions about the children’s health care, education and activities. This can be a challenging task, especially if one or both parents have had negative experiences with the other parent in the past.
Some parents try to resolve their differences in the privacy of their own homes, without going through a court hearing. Then, they will work out a custody plan that will outline how the parenting time will be divided, which decisions will be made about the child, and who will be responsible for transportation costs.
It’s not always possible to reach a joint custody arrangement, even with the help of an attorney. If the parents cannot come to an agreement, the court will need to be involved.
Many courts use a formula to calculate the amount of child support owed, which is based on the income of each parent and the number of overnights the children spend with each parent per year. The formulas can be confusing, so it’s a good idea to seek professional advice before filing for a divorce.
Likewise, child support can be modified by the court at any time. The court will consider a variety of factors, such as the current needs of each child and how the parties have been communicating.
The courts also look at how sincere the parties are in their efforts to resolve the issue of child support. They will consider the amount of time a parent has spent with their children, whether the non-custodial parent is able to afford the expenses of caring for the child, and any other factors that might have an impact on the child’s well-being.