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Child support payments: Can an app make things easier?

On Behalf of | Feb 18, 2016 | Child Support |

The devil, it’s often said, is in the details.

One context in which this can be true is in child support payments following divorce. Even if you and your ex are in agreement about what those payments should be, the logistics of implementing a workable arrangement can be frustrating.

In this post, we will inform you about a new app that may be able to make these transactions easier.

What the court order says

If minor children are involved, a divorce agreement generally requires one parent to make payments to the other for costs incurred in raising the kids. This would include expenses for food, clothing, health insurance, school fees and so on.

In most states, the amount is set by statute, based on a formula that takes into account the parents’ incomes and allowable deductions. The financial information is loaded into a child support calculation tool, which applies the formula to specific cases.

In Ohio, then, the courts use such a formula to determine the amount of child support to be paid.

Of course, how you feel about the findings of the formula can depend on many factors. You may be okay with it. Or you may think the amount is unfair. The main thing is that the court will finalize the rights and responsibilities that you and the other parent have to support your minor children.

Keeping track of expenses and payments

No matter how much acceptance you have about the court’s order, however, it can be aggravating to have to deal with your ex-spouse about child-raising costs.

First, there’s the overall question of how you make the payments. Does one parent make the payments directly to the other? If you have similar incomes, do you set up a common checkbook for kids’ expenses, to which each of you contributes? Or do you use a smartphone app?

Even if you are in agreement on the method of payment, there is still the potential to disagree about specific expenses. For example, what if one parent thinks the kid needs to be in a rather expensive summer basketball camp but the other disagrees?

As we said at the outset of this post, the devil is in the details.

Should you use an app?

One reason why some parents like to use an app to handle child support payments is that it makes handling these money matters much smoother. With an app, parents can automatically mange payments through Paypal and track what they are being use for.

There are various apps available. If you and your ex decide to use one, you should make sure you find one that works well for you.

Making good decisions

Making good decisions amid the emotions of divorce is undeniably difficult. Whether to use an app for child support is only one among many issues that you may face. That is why you want to be sure to get wise counsel from an attorney who is skilled in resolving divorce issues.

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