The fact that a child is born of two parents means that both parents have a role to play in the upbringing of the child. Bringing up a child in itself is not an easy task; any parent will tell you that there are numerous challenges that come with children. Apart from having to cater for their emotional and social wellbeing, there is the financial aspect where a child needs food, cloths, education and medical attention. The cost of these can be very high given the high rise in the cost of living. When two parents live together, this responsibility is much easier to share. However, when parents have been separate either through divorce or when a relationship never existed in the first place, a parent is supposed to pay child support.
This is also known as child maintenance and is the continual payment of money to the parent in custody of the child for the purposes of meeting any financial needs that the child requires. Child support is on-going and can be periodic based on agreed upon time by the two parents. This can be on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Since this is a legal obligation, the parent in custody of the child can still go to court in protest of none payment of child support, Mankato.
There is a widespread misconception that this is only paid by a specific gender (male) based on their passive role in the child bearing process. This is very wrong; it should be understood that these payments are not made as a payment to the parent for their role in the custody of the child but is specifically meant to meet the needs of the child. If it is discovered that the child support is not used as directed by the law and as per the agreement between the two parents, legal action can be taken against the parent misusing the money paid.
Usually, child support, Mankato is paid by the non custodial parent; there are some instances where the parent in custody of the child is obliged to pay. Since child maintenance is usually part of the divorce arrangement, it is supposed to be a means of both parents playing an active role in the child’s upbringing and should be considered a form of sharing responsibility and not punishment to the parent making the payments.
The major expense child maintenance is to be spent on includes money for food, education and medical expenses. Parents can choose to pay this directly so as to avoid misuse by the custodial parent.
The process of calculating the child support fee can be informal and both parents can agree on how the payments are to be made. However, when they fail to agree, this can be determined and enforced by a court under family law.
If you have any specific questions on child supportin Mankato or would like assistance in obtaining or negotiating child maintenance,