What is Child Support Awareness Month?
Child Support Awareness Month is observed annually in August. By definition, child support is a family law that requires a parent to provide periodic financial aid to their child(ren) until the child(ren) becomes a legal adult.
Recognizing this month began in 1995 when then-President Bill Clinton recognized August as the National Child Support Awareness Month in the US. Since 1995, child support organizations have recognized and celebrated the significant role of child support. Child Support Awareness Month aims to create an awareness of the importance of child support, motivate social service groups, and encourage people to help children in need.
While child support laws vary by state, all child support laws and services are designed to ensure each child’s well-being and safety are the top priority.
Why is this month important?
This month is important as it brings awareness to how crucial child support is to a child’s development. Child support helps ensure that...
Don’t Forget to Consider This When Evaluating Your Divorce Settlement
When I look at divorce settlement proposals for clients as part of my Financial Consultations, there’s one thing I consider above everything else. I’d encourage you to do the same. In evaluating your divorce settlement, think of this first and foremost: Are you able to uphold this agreement?
Oftentimes, people want the maximum child and/or spousal support possible — and I get that. However, if someone is making a promise they can’t uphold yet they’re signing a legal, binding document saying they will, it could land everyone in hot water (or, at the very least, lead to unnecessary drama and possible post-decree issues).
It’s important for you and the other person signing the divorce agreement not to make promises you can’t keep. Consider these three things when evaluating your divorce settlement to ensure you're not forgetting the cardinal rule of “don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Be Realistic
Like I wrote in...
How to Prepare for Divorce: Divorce Advice for Stay-At-Home Moms
Preparing for a divorce is a lot more than just picking up the phone and calling an attorney. There are the emotional aspects, financial, legal, and, of course, there are parenting issues. It means figuring out what life is going to look like when it's all said and done and includes preparing your children for the transition. For the stay-at-home mom, there are additional concerns around income.
How to Prepare for Divorce for Stay-At-Home Moms
Contents:
Talking to Your Kids About Divorce
Emotional Preparation
When you realize that your marriage is over, it's normal to feel a variety of emotions. Over time, you'll experience all of the stages of grief. You'll be grieving not only the loss of your...
How To Calculate Ohio Child Support
UPDATE: OHIO IMPLEMENTED NEW CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES ON MARCH 28, 2019. THE RESOURCES BELOW REFLECT THESE CHANGES.
Child Support Calculator in Ohio
For those who have minor children at the time of a divorce, one party or the other will likely be paying child support (unless they genuinely share parenting 50/50 and make about the same amount of money). Child support is paid until the child reaches age 18 or graduates from high school, whichever happens last. There is some grey area when it comes to how to calculate child support in Ohio.
Why Calculating Ohio Child Support is Not Black and White
Many people think that Child Support calculations are black and white. In some cases, that may be. However, there are many cases in which the calculation can be a little more complicated. The State of Ohio offers worksheets as well as a manual for how to determine the appropriate inputs for the calculations. Links to the resources are below.
At the most basic level, child support is...
Leah Hadley, AFC, CDFA
Founder
I've been where you are today. Whether you are going through your own divorce or sharing information with a loved one, I've been there. I divorced after ten years of marriage and at the time, I had three young children (ages 3, 6, and 7). I also experienced the divorce of my own parents when I was 8 years old. Now remarried and dealing with the everyday challenges of co-parenting, I am passionate about making the divorce process as painless as possible for the whole family.
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