Whether you expect to receive child support or you have to make payments as a result of getting divorced, it is important to understand different factors that affect the amount of child support parents owe. If you know that you need to make payments soon, try to prepare for the responsibilities that lie ahead and do everything in your power to stay current.
Back child support creates multiple hardships for both parties. For example, custodial parents often experience financial challenges when the other parent fails to pay, and non-custodial parents obligated to pay support can face a myriad of consequences if they fall behind, such as wage garnishment, the loss of licenses and even the threat of arrest.
Reviewing factors that affect child support
The Virginia Department of Social Services outlines some of the factors that play a role in child support orders in this state. For example, courts review the role each parent plays with respect to raising a child, the income of each parent and the child’s needs.
Courts also review the needs of both parents. Ultimately, courts strive to ensure that kids receive the same amount of support from their parents as if their parents still lived in the same household.
Reviewing Virginia’s child support formula
Virginia has a formula to determine how much a parent should pay in child support. Using this formula, courts go over multiple factors, such as the health care needs of a child, expenses incurred due to daycare, spousal support obligations and the income of each parent from all sources. Make sure you handle any child support issues that arise with care.
