If you and your child’s other parent aren’t in a relationship any longer, you might’ve been ordered to pay child support. This support is a long-term obligation that you are expected to meet. If you fail to meet the obligations, you can face penalties, as well as the requirement to catch up and pay off those arrears.
As we discussed last week, there are two ways that child support orders are determined. The first is that you can turn to the court and let the court decide on child support. The second is that you and your ex can work together to come up with an agreement, but this agreement would still need to be approved by the court.
We know that you might not know where to start if you and your ex are trying to work out an agreement about what you are going to pay and what your obligations are. We are here to help you learn about the law’s guidelines for child support. This can give you a starting point for the negotiations.
Once the child support order is made, you are responsible for ensuring that you make the payments and meet the other obligations as ordered. If you aren’t able to do this, you should try to get the order modified as quickly as possible. The same two ways you got the original order are the same two ways that this can occur; however, you must file a petition with the court as soon as you know that the change is needed.
Whether you need to get an initial child support order going or need to get the current order modified, we are here to help guide you in the right direction and help you until the matter is resolved.