There are many issues that need to be discussed during the divorce process. One of the most important discussions divorcing parents in California can have is about their children and things that will affect their lives, such as child support. Parents have to share in the responsibility of raising their children and that includes financially and every state has its own rules regarding how child support is to be calculated, but parents can come up with their own plan if the court agrees.
Each family is different, so there is no one way of doing things during and after a divorce. But one thing is always clear — decisions have to be made with the best interests of the children at heart. First, it is important to know that a child support agreement can always be modified depending on the circumstances of the payor and the payee. Second, former spouses need to understand that child support always trumps spousal support, and third, child support has neutral tax consequences.
Only one parent can claim a child as a dependent for tax purposes and that is who the child is with the most often or the parent who has physical custody. If there is more than one child, parents may choose to divide exemptions. But getting the advice of a professional regarding taxation might be a wise thing to do.
Getting advice regarding child support from an experienced California attorney is also a wise thing to do. Calculating child support payments can be very confusing and complex and a lawyer may be able to more easily explain how those payments are calculated. A lawyer can also explain what needs to be done if payments need to be modified.