As a parent, nothing brings joy and fulfillment like providing for your child. In fact, most parents take this noble task quite seriously. However, things become different when parents are divorced or separated.
If you are divorced or separated, there is a pretty good chance the government will define how you provide for your child. This is where the Ohio child support statute comes in.
Here are crucial mistakes you need to avoid if the court directs you to pay child support in Connecticut.
Withholding the payments
Sometimes, the court may award primary custody to your co-parent as you are awarded visitation rights. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for some parents to violate an existing custody order. Your gut reaction if your ex is preventing you from seeing your child might be to withhold child support.
However, this can be a costly mistake. Child support and child custody and visitation are two separate orders. Thus, you will be violating a court order when you withhold child support, and this has consequences. If your ex is interfering with your visitation rights, do not take the law into your hands. Bring the matter to the attention of the court instead.
Failing to pay through a court-approved method
When issuing a child support order in Ohio, the court will give directions on how you make the payments. This may include in-person payments, credit cards, checking account debit or through MoneyGram. It is incredibly important that you use a court-approved method when making the payments. If you are paying in-person, be sure to clarify what the payment is for and have proof of payment. Keep in mind that you cannot pay child support in kind. For instance, you may not claim that you used child support to finance the child’s birthday party.
Protecting your interests
Child support can be a contentious subject during and after divorce, especially if the parents are not seeing eye-to-eye. Learning more about Ohio divorce and child support laws can help you protect your child’s best interests while addressing the subject of child support.