Does Remarrying Have An Effect On Child Support
                                               Does Remarrying Have An Effect On Child Support?
After the divorce, California  parents  might wish to remarry and expand their family.
According to a professional family law attorney in Orange County, one concern they
might have, whether they are the custodial or non-custodial parent, is how remarrying
might affect an existing child support order.
The responsibility of a parent
The first thing that parents must understand is that it is the responsibility of each parent
to meet the financial  needs of their  children.  Whether one or both of those parents
remarry, they are still both legally bound to support their children. New spouses are not
legally bound to pay support for their partner’s children with a different spouse. In some
cases,  however,  former  spouses  have  sued  for  modifications  based  on  the  financial
changes their ex-spouse has experienced due to remarriage.
Child support modification after remarriage
There  are  some  reasons  parents  might  request  a child  support modification  once  a
parent remarries. If the non-custodial parent remarries, for example, they might request
a modification if they are beginning a new family.
While the birth of a new baby in this new family might not be evidence enough to grant
a modification, particularly since many courts give priority to the child born in the first
marriage, the costs associated with taking care of this child might be considered by the
court. A specialized San Bernardino family law attorney suggests that there are very
specific reasons courts will consider support order modifications. These include:
 A significant  change  in  the  income of  a  parent,  whether  from loss  of  job  or
promotion
 A change in custody that significantly impacts the time a child spends with each
parent
 The arrest of a parent and subsequent jail time
 Increased costs of living, education, or health care
Adoption can change support requirements
In some cases, a new spouse might decide to adopt their spouse’s child. For this to
happen, the other parent must give up their parental rights. In those cases, support then
legally falls to the legal parents of the child, not necessarily the biological parent.
How does California enforce child support orders?
According to California’s Child Support Services website, parents who do not pay child
support on time could face various penalties.  For  example,  you could  have your tax
refund and lottery winnings intercepted and you could also face a lien on your property
or bank account. Moreover, parents who miss child support payments sometimes lose
their driver’s license as well as occupational licenses.
Missing child support payments can cause a parent to face contempt of court charges
and lose their passport privileges as well.
How can you avoid falling behind on child support payments?
In order to avoid becoming delinquent, there are different strategies that could help you
stay  current  on  the  child  support  you  owe.  You  might  benefit  from  establishing  a
payment plan in order to ensure that you have the financial means to pay support. If
you lost your job or experienced significant financial changes, you could have the ability
to modify your child support order to make payments more reasonable.
If you are in search of an experienced Riverside divorce attorney or family law attorney,
contact The Law Offices of Sood and Sood!
Share