While it is true that every child has different needs, in general, there are certain things that every child requires in order to live a healthy and happy life. Children of all backgrounds and interests need homes to live in and food to eat. They need to be educated and provided with medical care. In Arizona and other states throughout the nation, children need support and love to grow and thrive.
Parents who choose to live separately or to end their marital relationships must maintain their duties to their children even after their personal relationships have ended. This is often done through the implementation of custody and support plans that dictate where a child will live, when they will see their noncustodial parent and how much money that parent must pay for the care and support of their child.
A child support plan can be create by agreement between the child’s parents or by an order of the court. While child support must cover a child’s basic needs such as shelter and food, it must also provide for a child’s more individual requirements. A child who played soccer before their parents’ divorce may continue to play after their parents have ended their marriage, and as such, those parents must find a way to pay for the fees associated with the extracurricular activity. Child support is not limited to a child’s minimum requirements, but can include entertainment costs, extracurricular costs and others.
Maintaining continuity in the life of a child after their parents’ divorce can be difficult. A well-planned custody and support system can help ensure that a child is able to continue to do what they love and receive the support of their parents as their life moves forward after a divorce. Contact our Chandler child support attorneys today.