Child support is the responsibility of every parent. They must give emotional, medical, and financial support to their child.
The Louisiana state government presumes that parents who live with their child are providing them with the support they need. When a parent is not living with their child, the state may require them to pay for some portion of the child’s needs through a child support order.
When it comes to actually making payments to support the child, there are several methods that the parent can use. The payments can be made by money order, MoneyGram, Expert Pay or cashier’s check. Payments can also be made by credit card or directly from the parent’s bank account. In fact, the process has become so streamlined that if the supporting parent fails to pay child support payments, the custodial parent can apply online for the child support to be enforced.
Which services are included under child support enforcement?
There are several services that are included under child support enforcement, such as a parent locator service if the parent cannot be located, establishing paternity, creating and enforcing the child support order (which also includes healthcare support), and collecting and distributing the child support.
Child support exists in every state in the United States and although some of the rules may vary from state to state, the basic premise is the same across the country. In Louisiana, child support enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Children & Family Services, Child Support Enforcement Section. That department makes the parents responsible for the support of the children so that the children do not need to rely on public funds.
The advice of an astute child custody lawyer
The advice of a Louisiana child custody lawyer may prove to be invaluable to parents, whether they pay or receive child support. The lawyer can offer you advice on who will be responsible to support the child and exactly how that financial support should be divided. According to the laws in Louisiana, the amount of child support is determined by specific guidelines. The most important thing is that your child gets what they need and that child’s best interest is always be at the top of the priority list.