Money is often the source of many disputes. This is especially true for divorcing parents in Missouri and other Midwestern states.
Having to pay the other parent child support can be a challenging divorce issue to work through because some parents do not look at these funds as being for the child. However, passing this money onto an ex is for the benefit of the child or children involved, allowing for that parent to properly meet the needs of the child and provide them a similar lifestyle they were used to.
Even though child support orders are common in a divorce involving children, it is not always easy for divorcing parents to navigate this issue. In fact, many will often fight to keep this payment down. In contrast, a recipient parent may fight to get as much as possible to ensure all financial needs of the child are met. Nonetheless, these are ways to reduce these conflicts and reach a common ground when it comes to this divorce issue.
To begin, it should be noted that child support is always modifiable. This means that this payment is based on the income of each parent, the number of children the parents have and the percentage of time the child spends with each parent. When circumstances change, this can alter the amount of child support paid. Whether it is due to a job loss, disability, illness, inheritance or a substantial increase in income, these are all reasons to modify child support.
It is also important to note that child support takes precedence over spousal support, often means that if child support is altered down the road, spousal support will also be modified as well. Finally, parents should note that there are not positive or negative tax consequences when it comes to child support. This means that parents do not have to pay taxes on child support collected or deduct child support payments from his or her taxes.
Working through family law matters such as child support disputes can be complex. When divorced parents do not see eye-to-eye on the finances when it comes to the children, it may be necessary to involve the courts. Thus, it is important to understand how these matters can be resolved and what rights one has in this situation.