Parents in Missouri and elsewhere in the United States are generally required to provide financial support for their children. This is typically true whether they are married to each other or not. In most cases, child support amounts are determined by looking at a parent's income and expenses. A judge will also take into account the specific needs of a child when determining how much a noncustodial parent may be required to contribute.
How child support payments are determined
What to know about child support
Misconceptions about child support
Some Missouri parents may resent paying child support, but there are strategies parents can take to protect themselves financially. There are also some misunderstandings about how child support works. It is important for parents to keep in mind that however angry they are at an ex-spouse, child support is not for the benefit of their ex-spouse. It is for the benefit of their children.
How to resolve issues about child support payments
Noncustodial parents in Missouri are generally obligated to provide support for their children. However, this may become difficult for those who don't have the means to do so financially. The first step a parent should take is to contact the Child Support Enforcement Office in the appropriate state. This will alert the office to the fact that an individual's circumstances may have changed. In some cases, this may allow a parent to have a support order modified.
Reality TV star fighting for child support payments from ex
Missouri reality TV fans might be interested in the ongoing child custody battle between "Rehab Addict" star Nicole Curtis and her ex-boyfriend. The former couple came to a custody agreement over their 3-year-old son in October 2018, but they are still apparently battling over unpaid child support payments.
Adrian Pasdar seeks $60,000 a month from Natalie Maines
TV and music fans in Missouri may be interested to learn that actor Adrian Pasdar is seeking over $60,000 a month in child support and spousal support from his estranged wife, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines. The couple split up in 2017 after 17 years of marriage.
Child support leads to most garnishments in Missouri
According to a 2016 study conducted by the ADP Research Institute analyzing anonymous pay data of 12 million American workers, about 7 percent of American workers are having their wages garnished. When an employee's wages are garnished, a court orders an employer to automatically deduct money from the employee's wages in order to pay debt. Wage garnishments affect employees in certain industries and parts of the country more than others. Manufacturing workers in the Midwest have the highest rate of wage garnishment at about 26 percent.
Calculating childcare costs and support payments
When two working parents in Missouri decide to divorce or separate, child support can be a serious and contentious issue. One of the most significant costs of child-raising is often day care, and many parents may wonder how they will continue to pay childcare costs after divorcing. If you are divorcing while your child is in daycare, a child support and family law attorney can help you to seek a fair solution that reflects these costs in the child support formula.
Rise in income for Britney Spears prompts child support dispute
Britney Spears is widely recognized as a pop star by music fans throughout Missouri and the rest of America. Her recent headlining show in Las Vegas has only added to her fortunes. Court documents arising from her current child support dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline show that her assets total over $56.5 million. Because Spears' income has increased since they originally negotiated a child support agreement, Federline has petitioned the court to increase her support payments.
The number of women paying alimony is rising
Historically, upon dissolution of a marriage, the husband was far more likely to be required to pay child support or alimony. However, times are changing across Missouri and the rest of the United States. Due to shifting roles within a family, courts are beginning to order support paid by the wife to the husband.
