Written by Just exactly what rights and responsibilities do parents have to a child? We all know the laws concerning child support, child custody and visitation are unfair and unjust but still they persist.
Just today found on Lawyers.com was an interesting question:
To Terminate Fathers Rights, Or Not Too?
A military man and his wife of 4-years took the ex-wife to court for the military man to claim his parental rights to the child, because he has been paying $491 a month in child support, but has never had the opportunity to see his child. He has two other children in the home and he is serving his country in Afghanistan. [Continue Reading]
You would think an issue like this would be rare, but it happens all the time. Some cases are so egregious that it can make you crazy. For instance, I know of one man in his mid-30’s, he has 3 children by two different women. His first child was born to a wife of 10-years, he was ordered to pay over $700.00 a month in child support.
His two subsequent children were born of his relationship with his live-in girl-friend of several years. When they split the court ordered the father to pay $25 a month (for both children).
You simply can’t support 2 children on $25 a month, even if you assume both parents split the cost.
Instead, why don’t they use a regional formula, sort of like the ones they use to distribute welfare benefits and food stamps. The county office needs to figure out the average cost of caring for a child in their county and allocate half to each parent. Why should some children live very comfortably, when other children barely have food to eat?
There simply has to be a better way. A way that helps ensure the needs of the children are being met.
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Related articles
- Can you get back your parental rights after you signed your kids over to your mother… if you have been in the house with them and been the one paying for everything. (wiki.answers.com)
- Home From the War to Find A Child Was Born (gastoniafamilylaw.com)
- Parents Should Revisit Child Support Obligations In Light of Recent Changes to N.C. Child Support Guidelines, Raleigh Family Lawyer Says (prweb.com)
- NJ: Determining and Enforcing Child Support in New Jersey – EIN News – News Media Monitoring (vinhsulaw.wordpress.com)
