Divorce and child custody cases often cause high stress. A hot point with many is money, and more specifically, how much one thinks the other should receive.
Child support payments can cause an ongoing issue between former spouses long after the judge issues the final divorce order. Some people who pay child support do not always like to do so, and because it is a recurring payment, the issue may continue to loom. How is child support calculated, and how can someone receive it without confrontation?
Calculating child support
In Minnesota, child support is the amount of money necessary to financially support children who do not live with both biological parents. There are three prongs in calculating support:
- Money needed to provide for housing, clothing, school, transportation, food, etc.
- Child care expenses
- Basic dental and medical support
The court considers the income of both parents when arriving at each party’s proportionate share of support. This does not mean that each parent pays the same amount of support.
Paying child support
The parent who does not have majority physical custody pays child support to the other. If parents agree on direct payments, they need to make sure the terms of payment make it into the final order. The person entitled to receive child support can have the money taken directly from the other’s paycheck via child support order.
When child support comes out of a paycheck, it goes through the state clearinghouse and is transferred to the recipient’s account. The process takes time to set up; however, the benefits may outweigh the hiccups as it removes the entire process from the hands of the payer.
Child support and custody issues can create ongoing tension between parents. Following the guidelines set by the court on payment amount and having that payment come out of a paycheck may help make for a less stressful post-divorce.
