Child support is one of the biggest and possibly the longest post-divorce expenses in Utah. Many things go into resolving its settlement, and even if you’re happy to support your child or children, arguments could blow up between you and your ex over managing all essential costs.

Fortunately, Mt. Nebo Law and other legal professionals noted that family law in Spanish Fork, Orem, and Provo has procedures in place to straighten this matter and come up with a fair resolution for both parties without compromising the best interests of the children.

Despite this, there’s no straightforward answer to predict how child support arrangement would look like. Considering the different financial capabilities of parents, diverse motivations behind disputes, and unique needs of the kids, many individuals tend to form misconceptions about it.

Here are some of them:

You Can Not Pay Child Support If Your Ex Agrees

If your ex, the custodial parent, isn’t financially secure to care for the child, but has too much pride not to accept money from you, you still can’t legally escape providing support. Basically, it’s not your call. The court puts the child’s welfare above the two of you and decides who pays how much.

You Can Get Away with Not Paying

If you think the court can’t force you to fulfill your child support duties, you couldn’t be more wrong. You actually risk losing access to your income, getting arrested, and serving time in prison. This is why the majority of Americans pay child supported as instructed by the court. Do know the accurate numbers, though.

You Have to Pay Every Month

Monthly child support payment is common, but not universal. You can also pay a lump sum or arrange unconventional solutions with your ex. In addition, you may have to pay more than what the court initially said under certain circumstances. A medical emergency is a classic situation that calls for an extra payment.

You Must Give Your Payment(s) to Your Ex

If you’re not comfortable giving the money to your ex-spouse, thinking it might not go to your child’s benefit, you can provide financial support in other ways instead. Because you couldn’t force your ex to provide you proof of your child’s expenses, you could ask to pay service providers directly. If you pay the babysitter, the doctor, or the school yourself, at least you’d feel secure.

Child support is a tricky matter to deal with. While you can negotiate with your ex informally, it’s still best to hire an experienced child support lawyer to ensure you wouldn’t get the short end of the stick.