As parents gets ready to initiate divorce, their children should be the top priority. Good parents want the best for their children, and during a divorce, it’s hard for some to get the financial support they need to help their kids live happy and healthy lives. That’s where a child support attorney in South Bay, CA comes in. Read on to learn how a lawyer can help parents navigate the legal system and achieve a fair outcome.
California Child Support: What’s It For?
Simply put, child support ensures that both parents are meeting the children’s financial needs. It’s just one of several topics addressed and agreed on during a divorce, along with:
* Parenting plans
* Spousal support or alimony
* The division of community property
If a parent wonders how child support works in the state, they should know that it’s about more than money.
It Goes Deeper Than the Monthly Payment
Many parents believe that California child support helps them afford the things their kids need after a divorce. While this is certainly true, it’s only partly so. Divorce is very hard on children, and though the spouses may no longer be married, they’ll always be parents. Child support shows the children that their parents still love and care about them.
The Guiding Principles of CA Child Support
There are several guiding principles of child support in the state of California:
* The parent’s priority is to support their children.
* Support is both parents’ responsibility and it is based on income as well as the length of time each parent spends with the children.
* Children are entitled to a portion of both parents’ income.
* Child support is to be used for the children’s benefit, but it may, by proxy, improve the custodial parent’s standard of living.
California’s child support rules are there to help parents agree on an appropriate payment without having to go to court. However, if that becomes necessary, a child support attorney in South Bay, CA may be able to help. Click here for more details or call the firm of Shook & Associates Inc. to schedule an appointment.
