In Pennsylvania and other states, divorce courts are slowly beginning to favor shared parenting agreements after couples who have minor children decide to end their marriage. Even though advances in shared parenting has been made, U.S. Census data still shows that in the vast majority of cases courts still give the mother physical custody. Although this can be frustrating for fathers, there are reasons they should not give up getting the parenting time they need and deserve.
How child support is determined in Pennsylvania
Child support payments are determined by a Pennsylvania court after taking into consideration a variety of factors. In some cases, one parent will be ordered to pay child support while in others, both parents might be ordered to pay if the child is not in their custody.
Child support and dispute resolution processes
Pennsylvania parents who are getting a divorce and who have young children have options for their child support agreements besides going to court and having a judge decide. For example, they may want to enter into informal negotiations with the help of their attorneys. They could even have their attorneys conduct these negotiations for them.
Essential financial planning steps for divorce
Pennsylvania law will guide many aspects of a divorce, especially if the former spouses cannot reach an agreement out of court. Because of the substantial financial changes that could result when a marriage comes to an end, legal and financial professionals advise their clients to evaluate their finances before filing. This process would include tracking current income and expenses and taking the time to envision how a budget would work post divorce. This information about meeting daily household needs could be important to the determination of the divorce settlement, including child or spousal support.
Will bankruptcy make unpaid child support disappear?
No matter what community you're living in, you can find scores of custodial parents owed unpaid child support. Some of these parents sit idly by and allow the delinquent payments to remain unpaid. Other parents, in desperate need of this additional source of financial support, seek legal action to enforce the child support orders.
How nesting can help children
Pennsylvania estranged couples may be familiar with the concept of shared custody. In this type of arrangement, children of divorced parents will spend part of the week with one parent before spending the rest with the other. However, a concept called nesting allows the child to stay in the same home with the parents rotating between the family home and an outside residence. This may be ideal for children because it allows them to feel a sense of permanency.
