Whenever one parent in Colorado is granted custody of a child, the other parent often has to pay child support. This can happen if the parents divorce or separate. It can also happen when only one unmarried parent has custody of the child. It’s helpful to think of the right to child support as belonging to the child, and the parent with custody receives the support for the child’s benefit.
The amount of child support that must be paid is set by the family court. The court will use Michigan’s child support guidelines to compute how much child support the custodial parent will receive. Many factors are taken into account in computing this number. These factors include the non-custodial parent’s income, the custodial parent’s income, the number of children and any special needs that the children may have. The court can deviate from the guidelines if there are significant reasons for doing so.
Once the amount of child support is set, the amount can be changed if there is a change in circumstances justifying the change. If either of the parents experience a change in income, or if the cost of living increases or decreases considerably, the figure may be changed. The court will use the child support guidelines to compute the new amount. The best interests of the child is the primary concern of the court.
If you are involved in a child support dispute, you will want to be sure that both your and your child’s interests are looked out for. A child support lawyer can be helpful for this purpose.
