Services
Parental Rights and Responsibilities/Child Support
When a marriage with a child(ren) is terminated, the parties must provide for their minor child(ren) regarding the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities. This involves a parenting time schedule, holiday and vacation parenting schedule, payment for extra-curricular activities, payment for school expenses, religious upbringing, the claiming of children for tax exemption purposes, and numerous other issues. Parents often strive to establish a shared parenting plan providing for their cooperation in the important decision making process for their child(ren) such that both voices are equally heard. Of course with parenting there is a responsibility to provide financially.
Child Support is often thought of as a financial contribution one parent makes to the other for the care of their child(ren). While that is certainly true, both parents have a duty to support their minor child(ren) in the State of Ohio. Support is based on established Ohio guidelines which uses a child support computation table and is based on percentage of income each contributes toward the gross income.
That child support is paid until the child(ren) reaches 18 years of age or until the child graduates from high school (whichever occurs later). If still attending high school, child support can continue until the child(ren) turns 19 years of age.
The allocation of parental rights and responsibilites and child support cases can be very delicate which is why it’s important to have an experienced family law attorney to assist you.
Robert M. Dumes has more than 40 years of experience offering a compassionate approach to settling family law issues and disputes.
Each case is treated individually, as no two situations are alike.