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Family Law calendar    Sep 13, 2016

Family Law: Why do you need to pay child support?

Any parent will know that having children transforms your life. This includes sharing the financial cost of raising children.

Any parent will know that having children transforms your life. Suddenly, your first priority is caring for your children and ensuring they have everything they need. And while you would never begrudge the money spent on your child’s education or passion for sport, any parent will also know that children are expensive

 Under Family Law, couples with children who separate cannot be truly and completely separated. Rather, the relationship between them as husband and wife simply transforms into a relationship as mother and father. Except in very particular circumstances where a risk is posed to the children, both parties retain their rights and responsibilities as parents to their children. This includes sharing the financial cost of raising children.

 But why child support?

Well, the child support system was established to ensure one parent would be able to seek financial support from the other parent in instances where the former is providing more care to the children.

 A child support arrangement is not always required. In simple matters, parents may decide that they will each have care of the children for 50% of the week and will cover all financial costs in that time. They may also agree in their parenting orders (a binding document which sets out the parameters of their newly defined relationship as solely mother and father) to split all educational, extra-curricula, medical and other expenses 50/50.

 However, in situations where one parent has majority care (and will therefore bear the burden of day to day costs), the child support system ensures the financial impact of raising children is shared between both parties.

 So, what next?

There are a number of different ways child support can be set up, which will be discussed in more detail in upcoming blog posts. However, before we even get to the logistics of child support, it is important to understand why Family Law requires you to pay your former partner money or why you will be receiving money from your former partner – you both have a responsibility to meet the financial needs of your children and ensure their best interests are met.

 If you have a family law matter, concerns about your family business or questions about family law and separation in NSW and want to find out more please do not hesitate to contact us on 9688 6023 or email us at info@franklegal.com.au.

 Contact The Family Law Team For A  Free First Conference

This article is provided to the reader for general information. It is not legal advice. It was written by Andrea Spencer & Emily Graham and edited by James Frank.

More from the blog

How child support is calculated

The what and why of family law parenting matters

Family law, Separation, Financial considerations, financial impact, child support, children

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