How Do I Get My Spouse To Help Pay for Our Child After a Divorce?

Are you considering a divorce and wondering who will pay child support once you separate? Your child/children may require additional child care since you and your ex will not be living together. Someone will have to pay for all additional care and costs, which can be expensive depending on the location you live and the individual needs of your child/children.

Child support payments are a series of payments that one parent makes to the other to cover expenses related to raising a child or children. The court will determine who will pay for child support and the amount one will pay. This depends on the various factors. Sometimes the court may even consider income from both parents and possible potential income when determining child support.

Child Expenses Following a Divorce

Child support issues and many other issues can arise during a divorce. However, once you have settled child custody and the court has awarded child support, you are left to still cover child care and other expenses. If you are the custodial parent or have entered into a shared custody arrangement, it is likely that you will be getting child support payments from your ex. These payments should then be used to cover any expenses that your child has, including daycare or other needs.

These support payments are not meant to pay for all your child’s needs. This is because the awarded support amount considers your income in addition to your ability to pay for part of these needs as well. Furthermore, you will still have to pay out of pocket for some expenses for your child, especially if you are the custodial parent.

Getting Help With Child Support Issues

You may also end up running into issues with child support. Maybe your ex stopped making payments or maybe the payments you are receiving aren’t enough to meet the essential needs of your child. Or, maybe your circumstances or income have changed. If this sounds like you, it is probably beneficial to reach out to a divorce lawyer about your options. A divorce lawyer who is experienced and knowledgeable about these issues can take a look at your situation. You may be able to request a child support modification from the court.

However, if you are a noncustodial parent, or you entered into a shared custody agreement, you may be the one paying child support. Keep in mind that these payments are those that will benefit your child. Since you will not be spending as much time with your child anymore, these payments will cover any other expenses that you would otherwise be paying out of pocket if your child had lived with you. Child support payments are not the same as alimony or spousal support payments. The spouse receiving child support should use these payments to cover all essential needs of their child.

Categorised in: Child Custody