Several articles have appeared in newspapers across the country discussing parents who have fallen behind on their child support payments. Not only have the parents accumulated substantial arrearages, but several are now facing jail time as a result of their actions – sparking a discussion about whether this approach helps or hurts the situation. In… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Child Support
Subscribe to Child Support RSS FeedThe Impact of Divorce on Children’s Costs for Higher Education
Posted in Child Support, Children, Financial IssuesWhen going through a South Carolina divorce, couples find themselves stretched thin both emotionally and financially. The costs of getting divorced, paying for a South Carolina family law attorney, alimony, child support, along with the burdens of establishing a new household with extra bills and extra responsibilities can be not only tiring, but expensive. Even… Continue Reading
Facebook Post Leads to Deadbeat Dad’s Arrest for Failure to Pay Child Support
Posted in Child Support, Contempt of Court, Financial Issues, Research & Investigation, TechnologyAs previously discussed, people say and do stupid things on Facebook. More importantly, experienced attorneys are finding and using evidence obtained through Facebook posts more frequently, particularly in family law cases. Using a person’s own words (or photos) against them can be particularly damaging, especially when it harms their credibility by exposing their lies. For… Continue Reading
New Prenatal Paternity Test Could Lead To Legal Changes
Posted in Child Support, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Paternity, TechnologyThe issue of paternity is an important one. Not only does it matter emotionally, but it is also an incredibly important legal (and financial) issue that impacts significant rights and obligations. In cases where paternity is not definitively known, determining who the father is as quickly as possible can be crucially important. Until recently those… Continue Reading
Tax Tips For Those Going Through A Divorce in South Carolina
Posted in Alimony, Child Support, Financial Issues, Tax IssuesThough everyone agrees that tax season is painful enough by itself, adding a divorce to the mix makes a bad situation even worse. No one wants to face a whopping tax bill in the midst of an expensive or exhausting divorce battle. To avoid costly mistakes, consider following these tips provided by Forbes magazine. First things… Continue Reading
Hollywood Star Sues To Lower Alimony and Child Support Obligations
Posted in Alimony, Child Support, Financial Issues, ProcedureOnce a divorce is filed, the couple’s assets and debts, basically their entire financial life is cataloged and recorded, fought about and agonized over. Eventually, this monetary snapshot is used to determine everything, from child support to equitable division of joint assets to alimony. In South Carolina, in most cases where alimony is awarded, there are… Continue Reading
Ohio Man Behind On Child Support Ordered Not To Procreate By Family Court Judge
Posted in Child Support, Children, Contempt of Court, Financial Issues, PaternityA recent incident in Ohio shows the frustration one judge felt when dealing with a father who was in arrears on the support owed to several children. Even court orders didn’t appear to be enough to get the man to keep up with his obligations, and the judge was pushed to the brink. Sometimes there… Continue Reading
Tax Tips For Those Facing A South Carolina Divorce
Posted in Alimony, Child Custody, Child Support, Financial Issues, Tax IssuesAs tax season rapidly approaches, those going through a divorce (or those thinking about doing so) may have some questions about how a split can affect your taxes. The first, and most commonly asked question is how does a divorce affect your filing status? This is thankfully an easy answer. Your filing status is determined… Continue Reading
Indiana Man Required to Support Artificially Conceived Children
Posted in Child Support, Children, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Paternity, Relationships, TechnologyAccording to a court in Indiana, one man going through a recent divorce must pay child support for his son and daughter even though they were conceived via artificial insemination from another man’s sperm. The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected the man’s argument that he should not have to pay child support given that his… Continue Reading
Visitation and Child Support in South Carolina
Posted in Child Support, Contempt of Court, Financial Issues, Procedure, VisitationIt’s a feeling experienced by many custodial parents in South Carolina: frustration at the failure of the non-custodial parent to pay child support in a timely manner. The payments might be sporadic or even nonexistent. Either way, it can cause real financial stress waiting on money from your former spouse. One typical response to such… Continue Reading
Legitimation of Children in South Carolina
Posted in Child Custody, Child Support, Children, Paternity, VisitationHere in South Carolina, child custody and visitation disputes can become complicated if the children at issue were born out of wedlock. There are several different avenues for establishing parentage in the state. The most traditional option occurs if the parents of a child get married then the paternity of the father is established automatically. If… Continue Reading
Most Wanted Deadbeat Dad Detained by Federal Authorities
Posted in Child Support, Contempt of Court, Financial IssuesA man dubbed the “most wanted deadbeat parent” by the federal government has been taken into custody by authorities in California. Such a terrible distinction required some serious arrearages and the numbers don’t disappoint. The authorities say that the deadbeat dad owed more than $1 million in back support at the time of his capture. … Continue Reading
Child Support Bills Rack Up Into the Billions
Posted in Child Support, Contempt of Court, Financial IssuesAccording to the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, $108 billion dollars in back payments for child support were owed to custodial parents in 2009. The problem is huge nationally and incredibly important in terms of each individual family. If child support payments are not paid, it can result in seriously dire financial straits for… Continue Reading
Custody Fight Revolves Around Whether Woman is the Mother or Merely a Surrogate
Posted in Child Custody, Child Support, Children, Communication, Medical Issues, Paternity, Relationships, VisitationAs many people realize, whether you are part of a traditional marriage, in a same-sex relationship, or a single person who has always wanted a child, there are now many more options than there used to be for raising children. One option that has been utilized by those who have had trouble conceiving is in… Continue Reading
Is My “Final Custody and Support Order” Really Final?
Posted in Child Custody, Child Support, Jurisdiction, Procedure, Trial of CasesThe short answer is “no.” Family courts have continuing and broad jurisdiction in most cases to enforce, modify or even revoke previous orders. Issues such as child custody and child support are almost always modifiable. Child custody changes require that any changes be “in the best interests of the children,” while most changes in child… Continue Reading
Can Child Support Affect Your Ability to Get a Loan?
Posted in Assets and Debts, Child Support, Financial IssuesThere are thousands of divorced parents in South Carolina who are paying or receiving child support. Many of these people may not realize that the payments, meant to go towards food, shelter and clothing for the kids, can have an effect on how lenders view their applications for loans. One commonly encountered example is buying a… Continue Reading
How Long Does Child Support Last in South Carolina?
Posted in Child Support, Contempt of Court, Financial IssuesAs many of those with children already know, child support is a payment made from a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent to cover necessary expenses in raising the child. The payment is based on the amount of time each parent spends with the child and the respective incomes of the parents, with some other… Continue Reading
Police Use Facebook To Track Down Delinquent Dad
Posted in Child Support, Contempt of Court, D.S.S. Issues, Financial Issues, Jurisdiction, Research & Investigation, TechnologyWe have previously written about the dangers associated with Facebook when it comes to divorce, but we’ve never talked about the impact Facebook can have on child support arrangements. It’s common knowledge that South Carolina Family Court and law enforcement agencies are aiming to ensure that parents who owe court-ordered child support fulfill their financial… Continue Reading
Child Support Statistics Reveal What People Pay Across the Country
Posted in Child Support, Financial IssuesParents sometimes wonder if the payments they make for child support are fair. They wonder what their friends are paying and what number average families across the country face when it comes time to write a check. Non-custodial parents may be curious to know if the support they pay is in line with other parents… Continue Reading
How to Handle Life Insurance During a South Carolina Divorce
Posted in Alimony, Assets and Debts, Child Support, Divorce, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Practice Tips, SeparationNegotiating a divorce settlement can be stressful, especially when tension is high and your spouse insists on contesting every last detail. One thing that often is last on people’s priority list, but which should not be overlooked, is life insurance. Insurance policies are standard parts of settlement agreements. The spouse who pays alimony or child support… Continue Reading
Legal Separation in South Carolina
Posted in Alimony, Assets and Debts, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Separation, VisitationSomething many South Carolinians may not realize is that our state does not recognize a “legal separation.” Here, a couple is either married or not married. South Carolina does however have a very similar action known as a “Decree of Separate Maintenance and Support” which (despite the longer name) functions much the same way that… Continue Reading
Is There Really Gender Bias in Child Custody Cases?
Posted in Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, Separation, Trial of CasesWe hear a lot about how the courts are biased in favor of mothers when deciding child custody. A series of studies show that there might be more to the story, as other factors come into play with why fathers are less involved in their children’s lives post-divorce. The following statistics come from a Pew… Continue Reading
College Costs and the Impact of Divorced Parents
Posted in Child Support, Children, Educational Resources, Financial IssuesThough college has never been cheap, the amount of money needed nowadays is bordering on the absurd. According to U.S. News and World Report, the average tuition for a private university now exceeds $35,000, while kids in public schools can expect to pay almost $20,000. With costs so high, it is no wonder that parents… Continue Reading
Tips for Physically or Financially Abused Women Facing Divorce
Posted in Assets and Debts, Child Custody, Child Support, Communication, Divorce, Domestic Abuse, Financial Issues, Psychological Issues, Safety, SeparationWomen that have suffered through an abusive relationship have to do all the same things that any woman going through a divorce would need to do. The only difference is that each step is made more difficult by the looming presence of an abusive spouse. It’s often the case that women in abusive relationships have… Continue Reading