Without the financial support of their parents, Arizona children would struggle to have their most basic needs met. They may go without enough food or may live without protective shelters around them. They may not have clothing or a means of getting to school to further their educations. In cases of divorce and situations where parents do not live with each other, child support can be a vital component of providing a child with what they require to survive.
In Arizona it is usually the case that one parent will be ordered to pay child support for the benefit of their child. Based on the state’s guidelines that parent will be told how much child support they must pay and when it is due. Their order will inform them of where to send their child support payments as well as other information relevant to their specific family law case.
When child support is ordered the order normally applies to the child’s noncustodial parent. A noncustodial parent is a parent who does not have their child living with them. A noncustodial parent may have visitation time with their child, but their child will presumably live with their other parent. When the child is with their custodial parent that parent is assumed to be using their own money and earnings to support the child as well.
Therefore, child support may be ordered for one parent to pay but both parents are expected to contribute to the financial needs of their child. A custodial parent is presumed to be providing for their child because the child lives under that parent’s roof. Clarification on this topic and its applicability to specific child support cases should be discussed with trusted Chandler family law attorneys.