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Perks may translate to increased child support payments

| Oct 23, 2013 | Child Support

Couples seeking a divorce in Tennessee must be aware of the complex legal procedures involved in resolving property and child custody issues. However, the child support payments can be a major point of disagreement in a divorce proceeding. Often, there is a disagreement on who will contribute and how much toward the child support.

Usually, the spouse with a better earning capacity is directed by the court to bear the major portion of child support. In certain states, if a parent is getting certain perks such as a car, cell phone or any other job perk, their child support liability may increase. According to a court ruling, all perks provided by an employer are supposed to be included in calculating the income for the purpose of determining child support.

In a recent case, a husband urged the court to reduce his contribution toward child support as his salary had been reduced considerably due to the economic recession. However, his argument was rejected by the court, which explained that the various perks he was getting as part of his income reduced his expenses considerably.

Financial aspects do play a major role in deciding on the contribution of each spouse toward child support. The court has to take into account the best interests of the child while determining child support. The child support amount includes a range of things like school fees, cost of basic necessities and other requirements of the child. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that all the needs of the child are taken care of and that the separation of the parents does not have a negative impact on the overall upbringing of the child.

The welfare of the child must be the top priority for parents seeking divorce. They can choose to get professional help in order to come to an amicable solution regarding their share of child support payments. An experienced attorney may help the parents frame a settlement, taking into account all future needs of their child.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Supreme Court: Job perks could increase child support payments,” Darrel Rowland , Oct. 16, 2013

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