The Truth About Child Custody & Support

THE TRUTHABOUT custody & child support MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK With divorce and population rates on the rise, the US has also seen a significant rise in children living with one parent and not the other. Thus the amount of parents receiving support (monetary and nonmonetary) has also significantly increased. Here is a breakdown of the current state of custodial parents in the US and some of the factors that influence the amount of child support received by a custodial parent. CURRENT STATE OF CUSTODY IN THE US 13.7 million 22 million 82.2 % parents had custody of children under 21 years of age while the other parent lived somewhere else in 2010. children lived with custodial parents in 2010. Percentage of custodial parents that are mothers. BREAKING DOWN CHILD SUPPORT Child suppor represented 62.6% of the average income for custodial parents below poverty. $$ Of the $35.1 billion in child support due in 2009, 61% was received, averaging $3,630 per custodial parent. 28.3 percent of all custodial parents had incomes below poverty. Custodial mothers on average received more in payments than custodial fathers. In 2009, 29.2% of custodial parents did not receive any payment at all. LEGALLYBOUND OR SPOKEN AGREEMENT? Reasons legal agreement was not established for child support payments Other parent provides what he or she can 34% Of the 6.9 million custodial parents with official child support agreements, 85.3 percent received child support payments in 2009. Did not feel need to make legal 32% Other parent could not afford to pay 29% Did not want other parent to pay 21% Child stays with other parent part of time |18% Could not locate other parent |17% Did not want to have contact with other parent 17% Other reasons 13% Did not legally establish paternity 8% Child was too old 0% For more information on child custody and child support, visit http://austin.zdfamilylaw.com. ZD Zinda&Davis **Statistics provided by Census.gov