During a divorce, there is a lot of tension between the opposing parties; they have to concern themselves with dissolving a relationship that, perhaps, goes back a number of years. During this time, the couple will have amassed communal assets such as a house, furnishings, stocks and cash. As well as these easily disposed of tangible items, there are the children. Children are totally unaware of the ramifications of their parents divorcing but the parents certainly are. For this reason, a child custody attorney in Bethlehem is needed.
A very important aspect of a divorce is what happens to the children, who is liable for their support and what are the circumstances. There needs to be an understanding of how the awards are calculated, how the support is enforced and what happens when circumstances change, such as the custodian getting remarried. The law on child support is not a Federal law, it is a state law, and therefore, having a child custody attorney Bethlehem is important when the divorce takes place in Pennsylvania.
Let’s look at two key issues:
Who is the individual that is liable for child support?
* Liability is imposed on both the mother and the father; this liability is imposed whether the children were born in or out of wedlock. The amount of support is rather arbitrary; it is what can be considered as “fair and reasonable.” Usually the means of the parent are discounted, what is important is the ability to earn.
Child support continues to the age of 18 in some states, 21 in others. The payments can be made by either parent and the amounts are usually set by order of the court. If you are not the parent of a child that you have been supporting during the term of the marriage, you are not liable for support of the child.
* How is the amount calculated?
Every state has child support guidelines and in Pennsylvania, the child support attorney in Bethlehem knows the formula. The formula makes an effort to balance the needs of the child with the ability of the parent to pay. The normal approach is to combine the income of both parents and multiply the result by the guideline figure and then equitably assign the amount to each parent. Over and above the monthly amounts that need to be contributed by both parents, the court may assign liability for medical care, schooling and child care while the custodial parent is working.
There are a host of other issues which are taken into account, including exactly what goes into the computation and what formula is used. This is all dependent on the number of children, their ages and the family circumstances.
If you are going through a divorce or the terms of the divorce are not being adhered to, you may need the services of a child custody attorney in Bethlehem. Contact the law office of Sigmon & Sigmon, P.C. for guidance and assistance.
