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Everything You Need to Know About Child Support in Hawaii

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Jackie Kong
Everything You Need to Know About Child Support in Hawaii

Divorce is a complicated process. And all the more so if a child is involved. The family court has to then decide upon crucial things such as custody, visitation, and the child care amount. Childsupport Hawaii laws prioritize the child's needs and rights above all. The judges make an agreement allowing the child to get the best settlement from both parents even after their divorce.

The amount for child support and who pays it depends on several factors, such as the income of both parents, the assets, the number of children, who gets custodial rights, etc. There is no fixed amount for child support, but the court decides after taking a good look at every aspect of the case.

Getting child custody is directly related to child support. The non-custodial parent pays financial support, while the custodial parent provides emotional and psychological support. The roles are pretty clear in the family law Hawaii guide, but certain exceptions creep up occasionally. Thus it is best to speak to a reputed attorney who can keep you updated and represent your case in the best way possible.

However, when divorce and custody is concerned, it is often important to have an idea of the whole affair. Parents can be anxious about their child's future while charting out settlements in a divorce, and thus knowing the basics of child support and custody can help you.

What is Child Support?

what is child support

Child support is the periodic and long-term payment that a parent pays for the financial stability of their child after the dissolution of marriage. This amount is not directly paid to the child but to the parent who has been granted custody. The custodial parent receives the amount from their former spouse and ensures it is spent for the child's welfare.

In both contested and uncontested divorce, child care is paid by the non-custodial parent depending on their income, assets, and the alimony amount.

How Much Child Support Should I Pay?

According to the Hawaiian child support guidelines, a formula is used when calculating child support. It includes factors like monthly gross income, child's medical insurance, and expenditure for child care. Sometimes, these guidelines even take extensive visitation into consideration when charting out the amount.

The lowest child support in Hawaii is around $996 annually. The parties can settle for a higher amount, but anything lower than this shall not be accepted by the family court unless the court deems the case fit to be an exception.

Child support does not take into account your personal expenses such as rent, mortgage, or living expenses.

The parent seeking child support cannot demand an unrealistic figure but must put forward only a just amount. If the other party does not agree with the amount, they have the right to contest it, and the court can decide the amount based on all the important factors.

Alimony is also a crucial part of divorce and is also taken into account when calculating the child support amount. An alimony Hawaii guide can be very helpful in understanding alimony and how it can affect the child support amount.

Child Support in Extensive Visitation and Joint Custody

Joint custody is a situation where both parents share equal time with their kids. In this case, both parents pay the other.

Extensive visitation is an arrangement where the non-custodial parent can spend more time with the kids, which must amount to less than 50%. The amount of child support, in this case, can vary from case to case. It is best to talk to your lawyer and get the best deal from the family court.

How Long Do You Have to Pay Child Support?

Child support is payable until the child turns an adult (18 years of age), and if they pursue college or university, you have to pay until they are 23 years old. Some recent development in the law suggests that in certain cases, the non-custodial parent may have to pay child support for children over 23 years.

The Hawaiian family court takes the future of children involved in marriage very seriously. The law and the judges make it a point to ensure that the child does not suffer financially due to the feud between parents. The laws are just and specifically tailored, keeping in mind the interests of the children. However, if you think your share of the child custody amount is unjustifiable, get a lawyer who will help you plead your case without causing harm to your child's present and future.

 

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