After the rights of legal separation, arrangements such as child custody, child support, and visitation will then proceed. Child support or child maintenance is the ongoing obligation for a periodic payment made directly or indirectly by a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent for the care and support of children of a relationship or marriage that has been terminated.

In family law, child support is often arranged as part of a divorce, marital separation, dissolution, annulment, determination of parentage or dissolution of a civil union and may supplement alimony (spousal support) arrangements. Check out Austin child support to know more about this.

While the issues of child support and visitation or contact may be decided in the same divorce or paternity settlement, in most jurisdictions the two rights and obligations are completely separate and individually enforceable.

Custodial parents may not withhold contact to "punish" a noncustodial parent for failing to pay some or all child support required. Conversely, a noncustodial parent is required to pay child support even if he or she is partially or fully denied contact with the child. Visit the Austin child support for more detailed information about this.

Additionally, a non-custodial parent is responsible for child support payments even if he or she does not wish to have a relationship with his or her child. Courts have maintained that a child's right to financial support from parents supersedes an adult's wish to not assume a parenting role.

Support payments collected are expected to be used for the child's expenses, including food, shelter, clothing and educational needs. They are not meant to function as "spending money" for the child.

Courts have held that it is acceptable for child support payments to be used to indirectly benefit the custodial parent. For example, child support money may be used to heat the child's residence, even if this means that other people also benefit from living in a heated home. If you want more information about child custody and child support laws, then visit the Austin child support for more details.