Even though ending an unhappy marriage is usually the best option, kids still go through a lot when their parents decide to divorce. The experience can be especially difficult if a child’s custodial parent does not bring in much money, especially compared to household income during the marriage. This is where child support can help bridge a serious gap in the financial stability of a child’s life. Since it is so important, judges do their best to make sure they get support orders right the first time.
Alabama judges follow state guidelines when deciding how much child support is appropriate. This means that judges have to consider a number of different factors, some of which are relatively straightforward, like both parents’ incomes. However, there is a lot more to child support than just how much parents earn each month.
For example, a judge will look at a child’s health care costs during this process. If he or she is too young to stay home while a parent is at work, day care costs will also factor into the decision. These and other factors are outside of the official state guidelines, but a judge should always consider factors that affect a child’s best interests.
Some parents are not happy about paying child support because they do not want to make monthly payments to their ex-spouses. While perhaps understandable, this notion is misguided. Child support is a very important part of Alabama family law as it protects and supports children’s financial well-being even after their parents’ divorce.
