3 Things To Know About Child Support In A DIY Divorce
Choosing to use a do-it-yourself divorce is a lot cheaper than hiring attorneys to settle your matters for you; however, it can be a complicated process if there are children involved. If you and your spouse have agreed to get divorced and have come to an agreement on how to split your assets and debts, you will be one step closer to being able to file the appropriate paperwork with the court, but you will still have to come up with a plan for child support. Here are three things to know about this.
Child support is necessary
A divorce typically ends with two spouses parting ways, and one of these spouses will obtain custody rights of the children. The other spouse is called the noncustodial parent, and this parent must generally pay child support to the other parent. This weekly payment is designed to help the custodial parent provide housing, food, and clothing for the kids. If there are kids involved, you will need to determine who will have custody of them and how much the child support will be.
Every state has different laws
Every state has different laws when it comes to calculating child support, so it is important to look up the laws in your state before you agree to an amount. Most states base the amount on the income of both parents. A common formula used is comparing the father's income and the mother's income to the total combined income of both. This formula offers a percentage of income in relation to the combined income, and it is often used to determine how much a parent should pay.
You can use a child support calculator to determine the amount, or you could simply come up with any amount you both can agree to.
You can choose garnishment if desired
If you believe there will be a problem collecting child support from your spouse after the divorce, you could always file a motion to the court asking for the court to garnish your spouse's wages. If the court approves this, you won't have to worry about collecting this money. Your spouse's employer will be legally required to withhold the child support amount from each paycheck, and this money will get sent to you.
Choosing a DIY divorce is a fast and cheap way to get divorced, and this is a great option for couples that can work out all the details themselves.
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