Three Essential Terms Of Child Support

In a lot of divorce scenario, the spouses get bogged down disputing one final unresolved issue: child support. Child support is an issue in and of itself, but it is also an issue that hinges on two other issues: child custody and personal finances.

As a general rule of thumb, whichever parent is awarded custody of the children, the non-custody parent can reasonably expect that they will be ordered to pay child support (with some exceptions). For example, if mom is awarded custody of the children, then dad can expect to be ordered to pay child support and vice versa.

In the world of child support, there is a lot of terminology out there can be very confusing for anyone who is not a child support atto
ey: gross monthly salary, cash medical, temporary child support, base child support, etc. With regard to the terminology, there is no room for us to include all of the necessary terms in this one concise article. However, below is a list of three terms that we think make a good starting point for you: Temporary Child Support, Permanent Child Support, and Modified Child Support.

With regard to the three terms, read them and then keep them in mind as you do additional research about child support. These three terms are considered by us to 'big picture terms' and the purpose in writing about them is to provide you with a understanding of the big picture so that with additional reseach you will be able to fill in the details.

Number One: Temporary Child Support. The divorce process begins when either you or ex files a Petition For Divorce. The final goal of the divorce process is to get to a final Decree Of Divorce. Sometimes getting to the final Decree Of Divorce takes months (and in some cases years) and so the divorce process is designed to have a half-way point. That half-way point is called the Temporary Order. In the Temporary Order, you and your ex will address the issues of Temporary Child Custody and Temporary Child Support. The Temporary Order and its terms about Termporary Child Custody and Temporary Child Support will control until the final Decree Of Divorce is signed and finalized.

Number Two: Permanent Child Support. Once the Petition is filed and you and your ex have a Temporary Order in place, then you all will begin negotiating a final Decree Of Divorce. The final Decree Of Divorce will decide several issues on a PERMANENT, FINAL basis: Child Custody, Child Support, Marital Property, etc.

Number Three: Modified Child Support. Because child support is based largely on the incomes of both you and your ex, child support orders that are finalized as part of the final Decree Of Divorce are rarely ever permanent. After the Decree Of Divorce has been finalized, whenever your income increases or decreases or whenever your ex's income increases or decreases, then you will want to file for Modified Child Support.