We tend to get more than 5 questions about child support that we hear often, so we thought we’d do another edition to help better answer all the questions we’re receiving.
- What’s the easiest way to track child support payments?
Again, this was a problem that motivated our founder Sheri Atwood to come up with a solution for child support payments. The simple truth is that there is no easy way to track child support payments short of a system like SupportPay. Each state and county have different systems to track. Each of these systems may or may not talk to each other. In fact, in many counties, these systems aren’t even fully digital, and the payments are still tracked and recorded by hand. You can see how difficult this can be for all the parties involved when trying to track and prove payments – especially years down the road. With SupportPay, everything is tracked, so you won’t have to worry again about where and how your payments are being tracked.
- What does child support cover?
There is no pre-set determination of what child support should cover or how it is to be best spent. Under good faith the payments should cover the cost and care of the child, however the custodial parent deems fit. This is one important aspect of tracking child support payments that is important – having a clear record of what was paid, when it was paid, will allow any discrepancies to be better handled by a court or arbiter should the need arise.
- Can I reduce the amount I pay in child support?
Yes, there are ways that the amount can be reduced, but they must be proven in court and be determined as substantial, continual change. This means that the change is more permanent, and the amount initially agreed upon can no longer be met for a continual period of time. Some of these are:
- Being terminated or laid off from work
- Having a dramatic decrease in pay rates and wages
- Becoming seriously ill or incapacitated
- Drastic increases in the cost of living
- The non-paying parent has remarried to a different person
For any other questions regarding pay, it’s best to consult with a family law attorney or counsel.
- What services do specific states and counties provide for child support?
The short answer is that it varies from county to county and state to state in terms of their services for child support. For example, in California, they will assist in maintaining and establishing support orders, as well as working with other states to enforce support orders. However, these systems are not always strong, and the amount to which they help the individual track a payer can be extremely limited. Oftentimes, the payer of child support can slip through the cracks. That is why having a system like SupportPay to monitor and keep track of the person and their child support payments, regardless of state, is so helpful.
- Can I move out of state if I’m receiving child support?
Again, like #4, the answer to this question varies based on the rulings of the court, visitation rights, and state laws, as well as what you and the other parent agreed to. For example, if you decide to move to a neighboring state and the other parent has visitation rights, and it doesn’t impede with visitation, then generally it is allowed. However, if you wish to move across country, and this makes it nearly impossible for the other parent to visit the child, then this is something that must be worked out through the court systems and your legal counsel. It’s possible, but we advise seeking legal advice if you are seriously considering a move out of state.
That’s it for our more top 5 questions about child support. Be sure to sign up for SupportPay to help make your child support payments and tracking easier.