Divorce has never been an easy thing. Aside from the emotional turmoil
that both sides undergo, the emotional burden becomes larger if there are children
caught in between. If you have kids and are planning to divorce your partner,
then you must know about child support issues and concerns.
The first thing you need to do is find yourself a good family lawyer
in Tampa. Not only will a good family lawyer help you out through the whole divorce
process, a good family lawyer will also provide you with legal information and
resources regarding child support. The most basic things you need to know is
how to get child support, how to make child support payments, how these
payments are calculated, how child support is modified, how to enforce child
support, and what happens if any of the parties fail to pay the agreed upon child
support.
When parents file for a divorce, one of them ultimately becomes the
custodial parent of the child. The custodial parent is the one that the child
lives with. The court orders the non-custodial parent to give child support to
the custodial parent.
Basically, child support is a portion of the income of the
non-custodial parent that is used to cover the daily needs of the child. All 50
states in the United States have made child support guidelines based from a lot
of factors including parent’s income and ability to pay, the financial needs of
the child, as well as the minimum amount of support required to maintain a good
standard of living for the child. Child support includes basic needs such as
food clothing and shelter, health or medical care, uninsured medical expenses,
educational costs such as tuition, miscellaneous, books, etc., child care,
transportation and travelling expenses, entertainment, and even extracurricular
activities such as summer camps and sports.
If a parent fails to give child support, then the law can penalize him
or her by withholding supports from tax refunds and even as far as seizing real
estate and personal properties. Other consequences can be garnishing wages,
suspending occupational licenses (necessary to practice medicine, teaching, etc.)
and business licenses, as well as revoking of driver’s license. Furthermore, if
the child support involved is amounting to more than $2,500, then the court may
deny issuance of passport and visa. The court may also hold the delinquent
parent in contempt of court and issue a jail term.
There are lot of issues concerning child support in Tampa. What if one
of the parent moves to another state? What if the non-custodial parent loses
his or her job? What if the non-custodial parent encounters an accident? In
general, courts in Tampa and the rest of the country is very supportive of child
support enforcement. As such, any excuse from the part of the non-custodial
parents may not be recognized. However, if the need may arise, the
non-custodial parent may ask for petition from the court.
For deeper discussions and clarifications regarding this matter,
consult with a family lawyer in Tampa.
Nancy McRoberts Parham P.A
210 N. Pierce
St., Tampa, FL 33602
(813)
228-0219
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