There are two options that you have available when it comes to matters related to child support. One is that you can present your case to the court and let the court decide what you are going to pay in child support. The other is that you can work with your ex to come to an agreement. In both cases, you would ultimately end up with a child support order.
If you and your ex work together to come up with the agreement, you will still have to present it to the court for approval. This is only to ensure that your child is getting the financial support that is expected. For this reason, you should know what the guidelines are so that you can ensure you are in compliance with the current laws.
Oftentimes, a couple that is divorcing will include the child support agreement in with other documents regarding the dissolution of the marriage. This could include the property division agreement and the child custody agreement.
There are several points that must be included in the child support agreement that you and your ex work out. It must include who is paying child support and who is receiving it. It must also include when and how the payments are going to be made, as well as the monetary amount of each payment. In most cases, it will also have to outline what happens if the payments aren’t made.
Many child support orders also include information about additional requirements, such as carrying the child on health insurance and how extraordinary medical expenses will be handled. Ensuring that you have covered all of these bases can help you out when you are trying to finish up the agreement.
Source: FindLaw, “Child Support by Court Order,” accessed Jan. 13, 2017
