Child support is something that most people do not get from their ex-spouse.  With so many single parents not receiving the emotional help let alone the financial help from their children’s other parent it is hard to give the child or children the life that they are entitled to.  Child support should be used to help support the child or children and when it is not paid only the child is affected.

Many non custodial parents will feel like they are obligated to help with the financial raising of their child or children but there are those who are angry that they must pay to help raise their children.  When a non custodial parent does not pay any kind of child support to the custodial parent it lowers the quality of life for the child or children.  In an ideal world people could get along amicably and together raise the child they created, but as we all know this is not the case.  Still it is many people’s hopes that they can find a way to get along enough for the sake of the child or children and be able to speak well and function enough to raise the child. 

Many people have joint custody of the children and in this situation many of the ex couples can get along.  There is usually a certain amount of child support that is set and the parent usually pays it in a timely manner.  The other side of the coin is of course all the children that do not get their child support.  This leaves the custodial parent at a loss of financial help and any ideas on how to get it.  Well there are things that a custodial parent can do to help obtain child support for their child or children.

There are child support laws set up in every state in the United States, although many may differ from state to state.  Even though they differ many of the laws are the basically the same as in any other state.  You of course must check the exact child support laws of the state you live to get all the information you need.  One of the first things that a custodial parent must do is to make sure the paternity is determined.  For mothers with children that are not wed they will need to obtain a DNA test before child support can be established, unless the father agrees that the child or children is his.  Once this is done child support proceedings may continue.  There are mothers who do not know where the father is residing and that causes a problem for some.  You must be able to locate the father before establishing paternity.  Once that is done you must file child support papers with the family courts in your area.  There will be a scheduled court date and both parties must appear.  The judge will decide upon a proper amount of money that should be paid for child support to the custodial parent and those must be followed.

Once child support is established the non custodial parent must pay the child support payments or face the consequences.  In some states if payment is not made on child support then the courts can take certain actions.  The court may take the child support payments directly out of the check or take their income tax refunds and use those as child support payments.  Also they may suspend any driver’s license the non custodial parent may have for non payment.  The court may even decide to put the parent in jail for non payment of child support.  The best thing to do is to have everyone get along for the sake of the child or children and to make the child support payments on time.  This way everyone is taken care of and there is no threat of incarceration.