Going through a divorce is a complex process, especially when children are involved. If you have children, child support will be one of the main topics during your divorce. On the other hand, you and your ex-spouse could choose to forego child support. Foregoing child support will make the divorce much simpler, lessen the costs of divorce, and support your decision to start over with a clean slate. This scenario generally happens when you and your ex-spouse are still on amicable terms and are both earning similar amounts of income. If this is not possible, then you or the other parent will need to pay for child support. Because this is such a crucial time to determine the support needed to meet the best interests of your child, you need to consult an experienced Chicago divorce attorney. The right lawyer can help you go through this without compromising the welfare of your child and without you being taken advantage of.
Normally, payments are made to the parent who is the primary or sole custodian of a child. With the case of a split or shared custody, child support payments are made depending on how often you spend time with your child. If you and the other parent spend an equal amount of time with your child, then you may not have to pay for any child support. If you are the higher-income earner, but you spend more time with your child than the other parent does, then the other parent may need to pay for child support.
There is a common question about stepparents’ responsibility to pay for child support. Stepparents are not responsible to pay for any child support. Grandparents are also not obligated to pay. This means that if the person responsible for paying for child support dies, child support payments will cease completely. Furthermore, without marriage and if you can prove you are not the child’s biological parent, you can choose to not pay for child support. On the other hand, without marriage but with you being the child’s biological parent, you will still need to pay for child support.
If you are going through a divorce and have children, it is greatly beneficial to work with a divorce attorney. We will help you understand your rights while putting the best interests of your children first. Schedule your consultation today to speak with one of our attorneys.