Divorce can be a difficult time for a child. They may not understand why their parents are no longer in love with one another. They may even think that the divorce was somehow their fault. If not handled properly, a messy divorce could affect a child for the rest of their life.
Providing compassionate guidance in child custody matters
There are consequences for a failure to pay child support
Children in Virginia deserve to have the financial support of both parents. When a child's parents are divorced, generally this means the noncustodial parent will pay child support to the custodial parent to help contribute to the costs of raising the child. In this way, both parents are meeting the child's needs, so the child can grow up in a healthy and stable environment.
The child's best interests must come first in child custody cases
Most parents in Virginia want their child to be raised in a healthy, loving and supportive environment. Therefore, if parents are getting divorced, they may want to make sure that the child custody and visitation arrangements made in the final divorce decree meet all of their child's needs. And, courts agree with this sentiment. Per Virginia Code, when making child custody and visitation decisions, courts will first and foremost focus on what is in the best interests of the child.
Seek legal advice in parental relocation cases
Divorce is a major life event. However, even after parents in Virginia finalize their divorce, life has its twists and turns. Sometimes a parent who has custody of a child wants to move to a different part of Virginia, to a different state or even abroad. Parents may have good reasons for wanting to move. Perhaps they received a lucrative job offer that will afford them a better lifestyle, or perhaps they want to live closer to family so they and their child can form stronger bonds with their relations.
What are the basics of child support in Virginia?
Most parents going through a divorce want to see that their child's financial needs are supported. Some of these needs are basic, such as food and a roof. Some of these needs go beyond that, and may include medical expenses, insurance and other activities. When a child's parents divorce, the court will usually order one parent to pay child support to cover the costs associated with raising the child. Therefore, it is important to have a basic understanding of child support.
Paternity in Virginia can be established through an AOP
When a child is born to unmarried parents in Virginia, if the mother wishes to seek child support or the father wishes to seek custody or visitation rights, paternity must be established to prove the man is the child's biological father. One way they can do this is to sign a document known as a "Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity" (AOP) at the hospital.
How can co-parenting help children post-divorce?
When parents in Falls Church are going through a divorce, they may feel like their disagreements will never end. The fighting and rancor that led to the end of the marriage can be difficult not just for the spouses, but for their children as well. However, children are resilient and can adjust to a new life post-divorce, especially if their parents are able to co-parent.
Where to turn when your child custody rights are interfered with
When parents in Virginia divorce or break-up they are often left with a lot of bitter feelings toward one another. Compounding the animosity they may have with each other is the painful reality that if they share child custody there will be times when their child will not be in their care, but in the care of their ex instead. This can cause hard feelings. One parent may feel like their ex is not a good parent, and their child shouldn't be left in their ex's care. Or a parent may simply want to get back at or in some other way hurt their ex.
Child support in Virginia based on shared custody can be modified
One relatively recent advancement in child support laws in Virginia involved the standardization of child support awards. Child support is based upon a formula that takes into account each parent's gross income, as well as the type of custody and visitation the parent enjoys, among other child support guidelines.
Claiming a child as a dependent on one's taxes post-divorce
Parents in Virginia may wish to take advantage of claiming their child as a dependent as they prepare their annual income tax returns. When a child's parents are married, doing so is relatively easy. However, if a child's parents are unmarried things can become murkier.
