You may be in the process of obtaining an award for child support, or perhaps you have been receiving child support for a long time. In either case, there are likely a few things you may not be aware of about child support.

A child may be entitled to support past the age of 18

The age at which child support payments are terminated is determined by state law. In some cases, it may be 18, but this is not always true. The most notable exception is when a child is still enrolled in high school. In this case, the age may be extended until the child's nineteenth birthday. This is to give them a chance to finish high school before they have to support themselves. There are a few states that require a father to pay support until the child reaches the age of 21. If you encounter a problem with a father who claims that he no longer needs to pay child support when their son or daughter reaches 18, this may not be true. You need to consult with a family attorney.

Child support and visitation are not connected

Although most fathers are awarded visitation rights, it is not connected to child support. This is important to understand because things can change in your life, and this can make it more difficult for the father to visit his child. One example is that you need to move because of a promotion, or perhaps you found a better paying job. If this move makes it more difficult for a father to visit his child, he is still obligated to pay child support. Sometimes a father may threaten to cut off child support payments if you move, but there is no connection between child support obligations and visitation.

A change in income is no excuse for not paying child support

If the father has lost his job, he is still obligated to pay child support. He simply needs to find work as quickly as possible. If the father changes jobs and is making less money, he is still obligated to pay the same amount determined by the courts. It is possible that the father can have the child support adjusted for a lower income, but this must be done through a family court. Also, if a father has fallen behind on his child support payments, he cannot have this money discharged through bankruptcy. Back child support is exempt from a bankruptcy filing.

The most important thing to understand is that you should not rely on the information you get about child support from family and friends. Laws vary from one state to the next, and it is only an attorney who can give you accurate information.

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