You may have felt blindsided by your spouse filing for divorce. You weren’t expecting divorce papers. You weren’t expecting them to ask for full custody of the children during the divorce. You certainly weren’t expecting to be paying child support when you can barely see your kids.

Divorce can be a very emotional and difficult, especially when there are children involved. When you have a solid income and a high standard of living, the amount of child support you may be required to pay when you don’t have custody can seem like a significant portion of your earnings.

With the help of an attorney, there are ways to address this issue. These include hearings to adjust your child support all the way up to fighting for full or partial custody. However, It’s important you still pay your existing financial support even if you are fighting for a change.

Timely payments help establish a positive image with the courts

Family courts see a lot of parents who simply refuse to meet their child support obligations. Judges and other officials tend to disapprove of those who shirk their responsibilities to their children, regardless of the reason.

If you believe your support amount is too high, you should continue to pay it on time and in full while waiting for an adjustment. Doing so establishes your intent and ability to provide for your children to the courts. It’s clear you put your children and their needs before your own, which can help you when the custody decision is finally made.

The repercussions for failing to pay child support include looking bad to the courts, garnishment of your wages, seizure of your tax return and even issuance of a bench warrant. Failing to pay can hurt your custody case and negatively impact your life. Paying in full, on the other hands, protects you from punishments and can help your case for custody.

This blog post should not be taken as official legal advice. If you need more information about divorce, alimony, and child support, it’s best to speak with an experienced attorney like Daniel H. Chambers, Attorney at Law, PC.

Mr. Chambers is a respected attorney in the Alabama legal community who takes pride in successfully negotiating favorable settlements for his clients because he never wants his clients to spend a dime more than necessary.

Mr. Chambers is also prepared to fight for you in the courtroom. He prepares every case as if it will head to trial because he wants to be ready to make the best possible arguments on your behalf at the negotiating table and in court.

Click here to get a free consultation with an experienced Birmingham, AL family lawyer.