subject: Child Support [print this page] Divorce is a very hard thing for all members of a family. It can be especially difficult on the children who are passed from one parent to the other and back.
If it is agreed that the children will stay with one parent, then the other parent is supposed to help support the children through paying child support.
Paying is often critical for how well the now single parent will be able to offer his or her children new opportunities to be part of various activities and to be able to provide for necessities.
As a custodial parent there are several things you must do to receive child support. Among these things are establishing child support and locating the non-custodial parent.
If the non-custodial parent refuse to accept the child as his or her own a paternity test must occur to prove who the parents of the child were. Once it is proved that the child is theirs, and they still refuse to pay child-support there are several methods that involve the court which can enforce payments.
The specific laws vary from state to state, but it is unanimous that child support must be paid by the non-custodial parent or there will be consequences. For the custodial parent to establish child support he or she has to fill out an application.
This application will ask for information regarding both the custodial and the non-custodial parents. This will include the parent's first and last names, social security number, and date of birth.
If the custodial parent is already receiving support from the government, the application fee could be waived. Otherwise, the application fee could be anything up to twenty five dollars.
Before child support can begin, the custodial parent will then have to locate the non-custodial parent. There are many techniques that can be used to find the missing parent.
One possibility is to prove the court office with the social security number of the non-custodial parent. The office would then be able to look up where they were hired.
Information about the ex-spouse's parents, friends, or other close family may also provide a lead on where the non-custodial parent went. When the non-custodial parent is located, the county sheriff will visit them with the orders that they will be required to sign.
The orders state that the parent is being sued and must go to a court hearing. This hearing will decide whether or not they should be held responsible for support and how much they will have to pay.
The paternity test requires a bodily fluid sample that is taken from the non-custodial parent and child. These samples are tested to see if the fluids match.
The body fluid used is usually a DNA sample of the saliva. If it is a 99.9% match the child is indeed the child of that parent.
The test usually will take two to four weeks to return a result. After it is established that everyone if related and child support is established, the court will order the non-custodial parent to make the payments.
If the non-custodial parent refuses to pay the child support enforcement officer will use various methods to force them to pay. The legal methods for this enforcement vary from state to state.
These methods include passport denial, license suspensions of professional and recreational activities, tax refund interceptions, and even federal prosecution. Child support is a serious issue with serious consequences if a parent is trying to avoid paying it.
Sometimes it can be difficult to pay due to the loss of a job or a pay cut. In most states, the child support orders are reviewed once every three years to evaluate the situation of the children and the paying parent.
If modifications are necessary they will be made at this time. As situations change, if modifications need to be made sooner than the set three year date either parent can request a review of the financial situation.
Paying child support is a vital responsibility that needs to be completed. The well-being of thousands of children depend on it.
by: Jack Landry
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