Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines
Under normal circumstances, all parents are expected to provide for their children, in the context of marriage, separation, divorce or unmarried parenthood, whether the children live with the parents or not. Assuming that a parent has not relinquished parental rights for some reason, a father and a mother are normally held responsible to pay child support when the child does not live with them.
Child support amounts are generally determined by state guidelines that take into account income levels, access to health insurance, the number of overnights that the child spend with each parent and child care costs.
The primary custodial parent will receive support in most cases, and the noncustodial parent will pay support in most cases. An exception might be in the case of a noncustodial parent who earns less income than the custodial parent.
Child support orders generally apply only until a child reaches the age of 18 or graduates from high school. College tuition and support during college education are not mandated by the state guidelines, but some divorcing parents make provisions for this time period in their divorce settlement agreement.
Legal challenges sometimes arise when a parent who should pay child support tries to hide income or remain voluntarily underemployed. Or a special needs child may require more child support than what the state guidelines call for in ordinary circumstances.
At the law firm of Montgomery & Zimmerer, L.L.C., we make it a point to remain non-judgmental when helping clients deal with problems such as child support arrearage. Our lawyers are practical-minded and people-oriented. Whether you are the custodial parent seeking enforcement of child support orders or the paying parent seeking to stay out of jail although you cannot pay the child support that is required of you, we are here to help.
Our Central Pennsylvania Family Law Attorneys Listen and Advise
The client-centered family law practice of Montgomery & Zimmerer, L.L.C., is our profession as well as our passion. On the heels of experience in other law firms, we founded Montgomery & Zimmerer, L.L.C., with a goal of focusing on people and their problems above all. Your child custody and child support-related questions and needs are the reason we are here. Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn what we can do for you.
