Yes, parents can and do settle their child support arrangements. But it is challenging and does not always succeed. Child support agreements are negotiated while you are engaged in your divorce, not exactly an environment that supports peaceful negotiations. This post will go over these agreements and how you might obtain one.
These are informal agreements that are negotiated directly between the parents or indirectly through their lawyers. It avoids the judicial system for the majority of the decisions. But this also places enormous pressure on the parents to get everything right in the agreement; you don’t want a flawed agreement that is rejected by the court.
The agreement must account for all support issues, such as the total payment, frequency of payments, and when the payments should end. These are a lot of issues that parents are often unable to resolve. Attorneys can help ensure that parents do not overlook critical issues but they cannot force parents to agree.
But, if you make it passed negotiations, then you must file it with the court for approval. The judge will review it to ascertain if it was negotiated fairly and that it is in the best interests of the child. The judge always stands in to make sure that the child is being taken care of. If the court approves, then it is certified and enforceable.
If you are trying to negotiate a support agreement, you may want the assistance of a lawyer. These agreements, as you can see, are complicated and you could risk the court rejecting it if it is incomplete. An attorney can review the agreement and inform you of any issues early.
