Understanding child support laws in Missouri
The divorce processis full of many decisions that must be made in order for spouses to create new and separate lives from each other. One of the decisions that often generates a great many arguments and disputes is child support.
June 22, 2013
Understanding child support laws in MissouriArticle provided by Clay, Kline & Young, LLC
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The divorce process in Boone County is full of many decisions that must be made in order for spouses to create new and separate lives from each other. One of the decisions that often generates a great many arguments and disputes is child support. Therefore, it is necessary to understand what the child support laws are, how child support is determined, and how to make sure that child support orders are enforced.
Child support laws
According to the Missouri Revised Statutes, parents are financially responsible for their children. Traditionally, the parent without or with less physical custody pays child support.
Child support is provided to children until they become financially independent of their parents or until they reach a certain age. For example, if a child is attending college or a trade school the child support may be paid until the child turns 21. If the child is not going to college or some type of higher education then the support may end when they turn 18. Exceptions exist under these statutes to accommodate individual situations.
Determining child support
In some cases, parents may be able to come together in agreement on how much should be paid in terms of financial support for children. In others, the determinationof child support payments is decided by the court. The state's statutes point out that child support is determined by the following factors:
-Standard of living during the marriage
-Child care if the parent works
-Amount of time the child spends with each parent
-Financial situation of both parents
-Financial needs of the child
The parent receiving child support should make sure that all income from the other parent has been reported, especially if there is a dispute over the amount of child support the supporting parent should pay. Sometimes a parent tries to hide some of their income in order to avoid paying more in child support.
Enforcing a child support order
While it would be hoped that a parent would fulfill their financial responsibility towards their children, this is not always the case and this means that the other parent and even the state may have to take action against them. There are several ways that the state can try to collect child support from a non-paying parent. For instance, they might file a lien on a home the parent owes, take it out of income or government benefits or even suspend any licenses the parent has in Missouri.
The parent ordered to receive child support can also use the courts and the law in order to obtain the financial help they need. If you are dealing with a difficult child custody dispute, you may want to obtain the help of an experienced attorney.