Child Support In Arizona: What You Need To Know

Posted by Julio Arrant on November 2, 2011 under Family Law | Be the First to Comment

Even if you have the sole legal and physical custody of a child, it does not mean that the child’s other parent is not required to cover at least some of the expenses regarding the child.

In order to calculate child support, the court takes many issues into consideration, including t

he gross income of both parents, any spousal support, the division of parenting days, medical costs, extra education expenses and any additional expenses that might be needed for an exceptional or special needs child. The court also takes into consideration how much time the children spend with each parent.

Another consideration of the court will be the maintenance of any children that were the product of another relationship. So, if you are already paying child support for a child from another marriage or relationship, those costs are taken into consideration. In fact, the court will look at all of your costs and income to determine the amount of child support.

Modifications can be made to child support amounts, but they depend on some important factors. For example, if you lose your job or have less income for some reason, you might seek a reduction. Also, perhaps a child’s needs will change and the amount of support might need to be increased or decreased based on that. For example, perhaps your child might need medical care or perhaps certain medical care is no longer needed. These types of issues might require modification of child support.

At some point, termination of child support will occur. In Arizona, you can terminate child support once a child turns 18 and has graduated from high school. If the 18-year-old has not finished high school, you must pay support until the child graduates or turns 19. Even then, if you owe back child support payments, you will still be responsible for the delinquent support, as well as any interest or fees.

Discussing child support issues and questions with an attorney experienced in family laws and Arizona child support laws is an excellent idea. They can help you resolve any problems and ensure that your children are cared for in the best way possible.

Julio Arrant enjoys writing and discussing child support laws in Arizona. For additional details about child support Tucson AZ laws or to find a family law Tucson lawyer, or to find out more about estate planning Tucson lawyers, please visit the TucsonEstateLaw.com website now.