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The Basics of Child Support

Divorce will never end the legal obligation for support. Each parent, although the bond of marriage has been broken, still retains a legal responsibility to provide adequate support until the child reaches the age of emancipation. The specific legal duties of support is based upon the needs of the child in conjunction with the abilities of the parents as dictated by income and assets owned.

The courts generally focus on income after taxes, and support is rarely the sole responsibility of the non-custodial parent, because it is understood that the premier job of the custodial parent to provide a sufficient household.

Child Support is a combined effort to obtain a fair distribution of financial responsibility, so the child may live in a manner similar to that which existed before the divorce. There are many different variables to be taken into consideration, and it must be remembered that all situations are unique.

The one common denominator all parents should have is the desire to provide for "the best interests of the child." As in a custody battle, the court will have the final say in all matters. Thus, again, an out of court agreement is often the best measure to guard against the unexpected.

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