On behalf of Law Offices of Kathleen G. Alvarado posted in family law on Friday, August 24, 2018.
Since the 1990s, August has traditionally been a month in which the country remembers how important it is for parents to pay their child support.
Obviously, it is important because child support is a legal obligation and not paying it can lead to serious legal consequences, including in some cases jail and a criminal conviction. However, paying is also important because children often rely on that extra income because it helps their primary custodian maintain the child’s standard of living.
In other words, it is a way for both parents to make a significant contribution to their children’s lives.
This year, offices around the state are again commemorating August as Child Support Awareness Month. This year’s state slogan, “they don’t need perfect, they just need you,” reminds parents that there is always opportunities to do better with respect to their child support obligations.
While August is a great time for a parent who may be a bit behind in their payments to make a special effort to catch up, it is also a good time for both parents to review their child support orders to make sure they are still accurate.
After all, the circumstances of both parents and their children can change over time. A parent can get a new job or could start spending more time with their children, just to name a couple of examples. Any number of things could merit a change in one’s child support order.
Not receiving enough support, or, for that matter, paying too much, are also problems that can readily be addressed during Child Support Awareness Month. A Riverside, California, parent can speak to an experienced family lawattorney about his or her options in this respect.