Articles Posted in Parental Support

Is There a Difference Between Alimony and Child Support?

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Individuals face a laundry list of issues and questions when they are going through a divorce, and it can be challenging to find a reasonable answer to simple questions. Couples that were once very much in love may be consumed with bitterness and anger when their marriage fails. Details such as spousal support, alimony, property division, child support, and child custody often drive a wedge even further between them. Most couples find that the most difficult challenges they face when going through divorce are spousal support and alimony. These controversial determinations are among the most common to go to court for a ruling by a judge.

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Under What Circumstances Can a Child Custody Agreement be Modified?

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Going through a divorce can be an exceedingly long, stressful process, even when the separation was relatively amicable. During the proceedings, many decisions must be made, including child custody and child support. Once these have been finalized, it can be tempting to consider the matter fully resolved, but when there are children involved, that is rarely the case. There are a significant number of unexpected circumstances that can crop up after you’ve settled your custody agreement, ranging from changes in your life or your spouse’s life to potential new needs of your child. At the same time, modifying your agreement is not the simplest process.

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How Much Does a Child’s Preference Impact Custody?

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One of the most difficult challenges of going through a divorce is determining the details regarding child custody. Even in situations when the divorce itself is amicable, you and your spouse are likely to have differing opinions regarding how best to proceed with childcare in the aftermath of your separation. Everything from agreeing upon the primary residence and custody schedules to more complex issues like schooling, religion, extracurricular activities, and more can be areas of disagreement.

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What Happens When a Judge Determines Child Custody?

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Divorce can be one of the most challenging experiences of any person’s life, but the process tends to be especially hard on parents. The breakdown of a marriage is one thing, but the breakdown of a family unit raises an entirely new set of concerns and issues that demand thoughtful consideration.

In California, state law dictates that all family court judges must ensure that any divorce involving children preserves those children’s best interests. Regardless of whether divorcing parents intend to go to court or mediate their divorces, the California family court system must approve their parenting plan and ensure safe care, custody, and support for the couple’s children.
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The Consequences of Withholding Visitation Rights

Visitation-RightsVisitation is an important part of any custody agreement. However, it can be difficult to allow your former partner to spend time with your child after having sustained multiple negative experiences with them in the past. In addition to any perceived hostility from the other parent, many situations might make you tempted to withhold visitation, such as attempts by the parent to manipulate your child, failure to pay child support, or even risk of physical or psychological abuse. If the court has already determined that the other parent has visitation rights, withholding visitation is an act of defiance against a standing court order and could result in severe consequences. In fact, the other parent can even accuse you of kidnapping. That’s why it is critical to follow the appropriate legal procedures for your situation instead of simply attempting to withhold visitation rights on your own. A family law attorney can go over the specifics and help you determine the best course of action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your child. Continue reading

Co-parenting With Someone of a Different Religion

Co-parenting-With-Someone-of-a-Different-ReligionIn the state of California, the term child custody is used to reference the ability to make decisions that affect the quality of life of your children, such as those relating to health and education. For some parents, religion plays a big role in making those decisions, which can significantly complicate things when your religion differs from that of the children’s other parent. Outside of simply including religious holidays into your custody schedule, other factors that could be impacted include attending religious ceremonies, dressing a certain way, eating a certain diet, and more. There is no set template for how to navigate these sorts of challenges, given that the details of each case vary significantly. However, there are certain elements that will likely be taken into account and strategies you can employ to find a mutually acceptable resolution.
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Child Custody and Support Outside of Wedlock

Child-Custody-and-Support-Outside-of-WedlockNavigating custody and child support cases is a normal part of course proceedings. If you happen to be an unmarried parent who has newly separated from their partner, you might be wondering if any legal provisions are in place to support you and your child. In 2018, the CDC revealed 39.6% of all births in the United States resulted from relationships outside of wedlock, so this is hardly an unusual situation. However, the information and resources available to parents going through custody-related claims in court are generally focused on situations where the parents were previously in a legally recognized union. Continue reading

Co-Parenting Over the Holidays

Co-ParentingRegardless of your custody arrangement or relationship with your child’s other parent, navigating the intricacies of co-parenting over the holidays can be difficult. Holiday planning is particularly challenging this year due to the ongoing pandemic, which has introduced new obstacles and complications to anything involving travel. However, even during a normal year, the holidays inherently require a lot of work and careful communication for separated parents. Continue reading

You probably didn’t need to come to this web site to know that California has laws compelling parents to financially support their children. The reasons for this are obvious. When parents make the decision to procreate, they are financially responsible for that decision. I think we can all agree that the taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill to support a child when one or both of that child’s parents can do so themselves. It should be no surprise then, that Family Code section 4053 holds that “a parent’s first and principal obligation is to support his or her minor children acceding to the parent’s circumstances and station in life” and that the “financial needs of the children should be met through private financial resources as much as possible.”

Did you know, however, that there is such thing as “parent support” in California too?

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