4 Things You Didn't Know About Child Support

Divorce is a complicated, emotional process for every couple, but it is especially so for couples who have children. With their divorce comes decisions regarding which parent will have legal guardianship of the children, when and for how long the other parent will be able to spend time with the children, and how the parents will share the financial responsibility of having kids.


Did you know that divorced couples are not the only ones who face these battles? Legally, children in Missouri are entitled to support from both of their parents, even if the parents were never married. If you are attempting to navigate the world of child support for yourself or your children, our trusted attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks can help you. Here is some important information about child support, courtesy of the attorneys and paralegals at the Law Firm of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C.

Child Support is about Equal Financial Responsibility

Food, diapers, toys, and clothes have a way of adding up very quickly. It goes without saying that the parent who is the child's guardian will have to shoulder a lot of financial responsibility. Child support is a way of legally ensuring that the parent who is not the guardian will help ease this financial burden. The money sent from one parent to the other is monitored by the courts to make sure each individual is keeping up his/her end of the bargain.

Child Support Only Applies to Minors

The legal guardians are only eligible to receive child support up until the child reaches the "age of majority," which is the age that has been legally identified as the age the majority of people consider the children to become responsible adults. In Missouri, the age of majority varies depending on the circumstances, but can occur at 18, 21, or graduation from a secondary school.

Unmarried Parents are still Required to Pay Child Support

The responsibility of paying child support does not only fall on divorced shoulders. Parents of a child who were never legally married can still be required to pay child support if they separate. Whereas divorced parents are assumed to be the biological parents of the children in question, however, unmarried parents have to undergo investigation first. As the most accurate method, DNA testing is typically used to prove who the father is.

Paying Child Support is a Legal Obligation 

And shirking legal obligations has legal repercussions. If the parent who does not have custody of the children fails to pay child support, the government has programs to assist the custodial parent. The Missouri Child Support Enforcement Agency has a few different methods to send money to the parent with custody. As examples, they can withhold money from the non-custodial parent's paycheck or intercept their tax refunds. If issues persist, having a Missouri family attorney to represent you can be a valuable asset.

Child support can be complicated and confusing, but you don't have to face these challenges on your own. Let our experienced family law attorneys help guide you through the process.

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Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welch, P.C.
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