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What does California law say about child support payments?

On Behalf of | Jan 23, 2018 | Child Support |

Many California parents are ordered by the court to provide financial assistance to their children. Some parents are recently divorced, while others were never married. Various types of situations may lead to child support payments although state guidelines remain the same no matter what the particular details of a given situation happen to be.

Guidelines are recommended standards, not laws. The court takes these and other individual factors under consideration before determining who, if anyone, will pay child support, how much those payments should be, and how often they will be made. To avoid any type of legal problems surrounding child support payments, it’s best to seek clarification of the guidelines and regulations ahead of time.

For one thing, a parent in this state who is obligated to pay child support must continue doing so until the child or children in question reach age 18, become emancipated or are entirely self-supporting. The range of expenses covered by child support is broad. Of course, all temporal needs, such as clothing, food and shelter are included; however, it is also possible that the court will order a parent to help pay for education, medical expenses or extra curricular activities as well.

In this state, child support payments are typically facilitated through wage garnishment. It is possible to request that the court allow an alternate means of payment if both parents agree to it. Since wage garnishment is a process occurring between the state and an employer, it often helps prevent problems between parents who are prone to disagreement. Any California parent currently experiencing legal challenges regarding child support may request guidance from an experienced family law attorney.

Source: FindLaw, “California Child Support Payment“, Accessed on Jan. 22, 2018