614-241-2174Divorced parents in Ohio and throughout the country have the right to ask a judge to create child support orders for them. However, it may be better for individuals to come to an agreement on their own. Agreements may be reached in private or with the help of a mediator. Coming to terms on a child support agreement outside of court can be beneficial because the parents have more control over the process of negotiating the deal.
Parents will also have more control over what the final agreement looks like, but a judge will still need to review a child support arrangement before it becomes official. Generally speaking, any agreement negotiated outside of court will be approved as long as it adheres to state guidelines. The person presiding over the case will also need to make sure that all parties understand the agreement and that it was negotiated in good faith.
Once the deal has received approval from a court, it will become a binding agreement. In some cases, the child support order will be part of the overall divorce decree that may also become official after being reviewed by a court. If an individual violates the decree, he or she could be subject to financial or other penalties.
Child support payments may be used to pay for health insurance premiums, private school tuition or anything else that may benefit a son or daughter. In many cases, state law will determine how much a parent owes, and this calculation is typically based on the person’s income and how many other children he or she may need to support. An attorney may help a parent pursue a formal child support order or review an agreement that was reached in private.