Child support agreements

When parents in Colorado divorce, they may be worried about the process of negotiating child support. Unfortunately, media depictions of adversarial divorces may be the cause of this concern. While court battles between a divorcing couple may attract public interest, the reality is that many parents can amicably negotiate child support payments between themselves.

Even in divorces where parents have bitter feelings toward each other, there is usually a mutual desire to protect the best interests of the children. It is from this basis that spouses can look past their personal differences and work out financial and custodial solutions that make sense for their family.

Parents who attempt to agree to child support payments may benefit from speaking with an attorney ahead of time so that each parent understands the law regarding support payments as well as the guidelines that courts typically use when determining what a parent owes in child support. Armed with this information, the parents can come together on their own, with help from a professional mediator or in a collaborative divorce process with their attorneys to discuss appropriate support amounts.

After arriving at a number, the parents can then present their plan to the family court judge who presides over their divorce case. If the judge approves, the case can proceed. Should there be any issues later on with child support payments, such as a need for a modification or a parent who is delinquent on payments, the court will have jurisdiction. Legal counsel could also help a client take steps to address the conflict.