Child Support

CAN A PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT COVER CUSTODY AND CHILD SUPPORT

Sep 10, 2020

While you may be able to include some details about child custody and support in a prenuptial agreement, the court generally will not enforce any such details if they are against public policy or if the court believes it is not in the best interests of the child to enforce them. Child Support and Prenuptial […]

Father Was Required To Pay Child Support Even Though He Had Primary Physical Custody

Feb 20, 2020

Trial court did not abuse its discretion in holding that father was obligated to pay child support of $1,500 per month to mother even though her custody percentage had been reduced. Parents married in 2005, separated in 2009, divorced in 2011 and had one child. Father agreed to pay $2,800 a month in child support […]

WHAT ARE 529 PLANS AND FINANCIAL AID?

Dec 16, 2019

What are Section 529 Plans? Section 529 plans are named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), which was created in 1996 to authorize tax-free status for qualified tuition programs. A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education costs. These qualified tuition plans are sponsored […]

CHILD SUPPORT—-PATERNITY BY ESTOPPEL

Dec 13, 2019

Trial court did not abuse its discretion in holding that it was in child’s best interest for appellant to be liable for child support based on the doctrine of paternity by estoppel because appellant had a long-term in loco parentis, relationship with child that began when child was an infant, he held himself out as […]

High Income Child Support Cases Must Still Access The Reasonable Needs Of The Children

Oct 05, 2018

To avoid unduly large child support awards, trial judges calculating support obligations in high-income cases must assess the reasonable needs of the children, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled in a decision the plaintiff’s attorney called “historic.” The court unanimously ruled in Hanrahan v. Bakker that the high-income child support guidelines found at Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3.1, […]

Can I Ask the Court to Change a Child’s Last Name to Mine if I Am Not Married to Child’s Mother?

Sep 21, 2018

The answer to whether or not a child’s last name can be changed to the name of the unmarried father varies depending on the state that you are living in, and the laws of the state that establish paternity. The Rules for Last Names In most cases, the courts will allow a name change to […]

Child Support Regulation – the Government’s Role

Mar 21, 2018

Because in the United States nearly half of all marriages end in divorce and almost one-fourth of all children are born to unmarried parents, child support regulation is an important social issue. Whereas once the arrangement for and payment of child support was left to the parents, now state child support enforcement agencies are taking […]

CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS

Mar 15, 2018

Child support orders are issued by the family court, which bases the amount of the support on the state child support guidelines. These guidelines establish the amount of support that must be paid, based largely on the non-custodial parent’s income and the number of children. The court will also take into account other relevant factors, […]

INTERSTATE MOVES AND CHILD SUPPORT

Feb 28, 2018

When the non-custodial parent moves to another state, the custodial parent may have to rely on the Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act to implement or ensure payment of child support. This Act provides the mechanisms by which a support order issued in one state can be enforced by the courts of another state. […]

UNMARRIED PARENTS AND CHILD SUPPORT

Feb 26, 2018

In cases involving unmarried mothers seeking child support, the first step may be the legally establish the father’s “paternity” of the child. The father can do this voluntarily, but if he does not the mother may need to bring a lawsuit to establish paternity, which is usually done using genetic (DNA) testing. The court will […]