Who can be ordered to pay child support?
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Mary Martin
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Mary Martin has been a legal writer and editor for over 20 years, responsible for ensuring that content is straightforward, correct, and helpful for the consumer. In addition, she worked on writing monthly newsletter columns for media, lawyers, and consumers. Ms. Martin also has experience with internal staff and HR operations. Mary was employed for almost 30 years by the nationwide legal publi...
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UPDATED: Sep 24, 2024
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UPDATED: Sep 24, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.
We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.
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Child support may be ordered of any legal parent who has not officially relinquished his or her parental rights. If you are a biological parent, or an adoptive parent, of a child, then you may be ordered to pay child support for that child whenever you are no longer living in his or her home or providing him with routine care.
Who May Be Ordered to Pay Child Support?
Traditionally, there was a notion that child support was primarily paid by men. This stereotype exists because women were often given custody of the children in a divorce situation while men traditionally worked outside of the home more often and made larger incomes. As gender equality has taken hold, it is now common for either the mother or the father to have to pay child support, depending on who has custody of the children.
Child support may be ordered even if the parent in question did not want the child and/or has no physical contact with the child. Unless the parent has legally given up any and all parental rights (an action that the court and the other parent would both have to approve) he or she can still be ordered by the court to pay support.
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When Are You Ordered to Pay?
Child support is most often ordered in situations where one parent has either sole or primary custody of the child. The parent who isn’t responsible for raising the child on a daily basis will be ordered to pay a set amount, based on the incomes of each parent and the needs of the child, in order to share in the financial burden of parenthood.
What If You Do Not Pay Child Support?
If you do not pay the child support that is ordered of you, then you may face a myriad of legal problems. You may lose your driver’s license, have your wages or tax returns garnished, or even be jailed in certain instances depending on where you live.
Analyzing Case Studies: Child Support and Legal Obligations
Case Study 1: The Non-Custodial Father
John and Sarah divorced when their son, Ethan, was three years old. Sarah was granted primary custody, and John, as the non-custodial parent, was ordered to pay child support. Despite initial disagreements, John understood the importance of financial responsibility and consistently fulfilled his obligation to support Ethan’s upbringing.
Case Study 2: The Custodial Mother
Emily and Michael had two children together before they separated. Emily was awarded sole custody of their children due to Michael’s unstable living situation. As the custodial parent, Emily relied on child support from Michael to meet the children’s needs.
Although Michael initially struggled with the idea of paying child support, he recognized the importance of his financial contribution and fulfilled his obligation.
Case Study 3: The Unwilling Father
Jason and Melissa had a brief relationship that resulted in a pregnancy. Jason was not involved in the child’s life and did not want to pay child support. However, Melissa pursued legal action, and the court ordered Jason to contribute financially to their child’s upbringing.
Despite his initial resistance, Jason eventually understood his responsibilities and began making the required child support payments.
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Getting Help
Because child support is determined on a state-by-state level, it is always advisable to speak with an attorney in the area where you live in order to get help understanding the rules for child support that will apply to you.
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Mary Martin
Published Legal Expert
Mary Martin has been a legal writer and editor for over 20 years, responsible for ensuring that content is straightforward, correct, and helpful for the consumer. In addition, she worked on writing monthly newsletter columns for media, lawyers, and consumers. Ms. Martin also has experience with internal staff and HR operations. Mary was employed for almost 30 years by the nationwide legal publi...
Published Legal Expert
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.