More than half of children living in a home faced by poverty do not reside with both parents. Many of these parents likely do not have in place a visitation order. This is often because many of these couples were never married to begin with. The one benefit of divorce as it pertains to children is the requirements of addressing custody, visitation and child support.
One policy analyst expressed particular concern when it came to the plight of black single mothers. Only 48 percent of black mothers have a child support order in place. While the mother may already be struggling with issues of poverty, she at the same time may not be receiving any assistance from the father.
It’s possible that many parents informally agree as to how much child support should be paid, but this is not an ideal arrangement. Unfortunately, informal arrangements also easily fall apart. Without an order in place there likely is no agreement made as to actions to be taken when unanticipated events like the loss of a job occur. With an order in place child support payments can be modified to meet the needs of both parents and the child.
There are many options for Miami parents on a budget when it comes to retaining legal advice. Attorneys can provide a variety of options that could prove less costly than going to court. It’s also important to consider how costly it can be for a parent to have to support a child all by oneself.
Please do speak to an experienced family law attorney to discuss all legal options. This can be especially important for parents with children. Not having both parents involved harms the child most of all.
Source: The Washington Informer, “Putting the Spotlight on Family Law Legal Needs,” Joy Moses, Sept. 17, 2013