When a couple have children together, they are linked together for life, even if the romantic relationship ends. They are also legally obligated to financially support the children that are the product of a relationship. As such, many people in Virginia have multiple questions regarding how child support is determined.
All states, including Virginia, have a formula to be used when calculating how much child support should be paid, though the formula varies depending on a number of considerations. While various factors can be included in these formulas, the main factors are how many children the couple have and the gross monthly income for each parent. If there is a joint custody agreement in place, the number of overnight visits are also part of the calculations.
Parents must financially support their children until the kids reach 18. Child support covers a variety of different expenses, including basic necessities such as food and clothing, medical costs, child care, transportation and medical care, among others. A child support agreement can be changed — with the amount either lowered or raised — under certain circumstances such as a significant change in a parent’s earning ability.
The vast majority of parents in Virginia are committed to the well-being of their children. For some, this may mean fighting to secure appropriate child support. However, there are certain situations that can arise, such as the loss of a job or unexpected illness or injury, that can impact a person’s ability to make court-ordered payments. Fortunately, there are experienced attorneys who can help during the path toward an initial court order and during the process to request or oppose a modification.
