Child support is a critical issue during a separation or divorce, especially when there’s more than one country involved. We spoke to the legal experts at Lander & Rogers to get the lowdown on how to navigate the potentially tricky road of child support payments.
Here at HoneyKids, we’re – quite obviously – all about the kids. So when we found ourselves in a conversation about what happens when a previously happily married couple separates in Singapore, our thoughts naturally turned to the little ones, and the questions started flying: “What happens to the kids? Who looks after them? If one parent leaves the country, what do they do? How do the parents make sure all the ongoing costs are covered fairly? How did it come to this? Could it happen to me?” It’s not a topic any of us are keen to entertain too thoroughly, but the reality is, we’re all human and life happens. As our own wise mums said, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so it’s worth looking into the legalities for some peace of mind. Here’s what you need to know.
Parents are financially responsible for their kids
This might sound like we’re playing a game of Let’s State the Blatantly Obvious, but it’s worth setting this one straight from the outset: no one can legally just cut and run, especially when kids are in the picture. Parents have a responsibility to maintain their children, and there are ways to make it as fair and equitable as possible. When a couple (including same-sex partners) separates or divorces, the parent who’s taking primary care of the children can apply for ‘Child Support’ payments from the other parent.
Child support arrangements can vary
The process of establishing child support payments varies between countries, and sometimes there are long delays when the two parents live in different locations. In some countries, the parent taking on the primary caring role has to at least try to arrange child support payments from the other parent – whether they actually want it or not – in order to qualify for government benefits. Just another reason to get up to speed on the legalities before things progress too far down the line.
Help is available
In some countries a government agency can step in to help minimise confusion and disputes. In Australia, the Child Support Agency assists parents with calculating, collecting and transferring child support payments. If the parent receiving the child support lives in a country with a reciprocal scheme to Australia’s, similar arrangements can sometimes be made. The Child Support Agency can also collect ongoing payments from a parent who lives in another country, and can help when there are delays or conflicts.
Don’t try to wing it
Whether or not you’ll receive child support payments will depend on a range of factors, such as the child support schemes in the countries involved, and the attitude of the two parents. As with anything this important, it pays to discuss your options with someone who knows the ins and outs better than you. The team of family lawyers at Lander & Rogers has a huge amount of expertise in family law and international relationship matters, especially in the area of child support for Australians. If you feel you could do with a better understanding of this issue, give them a call to see how they can help.
About Lander & Rogers
Lander & Rogers is an independent Australian commercial law firm with bespoke and high quality offerings in a variety of areas. They are a leading provider of family law services in Australasia and internationally. Their friendly team of family lawyers includes Accredited Specialists, qualified mediators and collaborative lawyers. The whole legal team has significant expertise in all aspects of family, financial, property and other related matters involving married and de facto couples, including same-sex couples. Lander & Rogers believes that legal services are much more than just the law – they are about great people and exceptional client service. They are renowned in Australia for their down-to-earth and friendly workplace culture, which is exactly what you need when you’re going through an extremely stressful and complicated time.
This post is sponsored by Lander & Rogers.