In the event of a divorce, one of the parents is often going to have primary custody of the children, but what’s considered in the best interests of the children often isn’t solely determined by financial capability. In cases of divorce where abuse is one of the grounds, for example, and that abuse extends not just to the spouse, but the children as well, it’s obvious that the court is not going to award custody of the children to the abusive parent, even if that parent actually has the higher income and could theoretically provide a more comfortable life.

In cases where a parent that is awarded custody of the children may not necessarily have the larger share of the finances, child support can also be awarded. This simply means that the other spouse has a legal obligation to pay a certain amount of money every month as a financial supplement to ensure that the children-while they are minors-have some monetary support to ensure good health, schooling and other essentials.

Court Evaluation

But child support is definitely not a “fixed” expense, and every divorce case is going to be different when it comes to awarding a child support amount. If you’re getting a divorce, you should consult with a divorce lawyer on child custody and child support issues. An experienced lawyer will be able to walk you through the complexities of Pennsylvania law, explaining the basic child support guidelines of the state, and how different factors like the number of children, respective incomes of the spouses involved and other factors like group health insurance are all components that the court will use in trying to determine a fair and equitable child support solution for both parents.

It is always better to be prepared for these considerations, and the first step to doing this is getting someone who understands the process. Zitomer Law is a Pennsylvania practice that specializes in divorce and family issues, and we can get you through this.