Child support and child custody are interrelated

In matters of divorce, there are two primary issues that pertain to children; child support and child custody. In order to have the best chance at growing up healthy and happy, children require both money to pay for their many necessities as well as strong bonds with each of their parents. And while on the surface, it may seem that child support and child custody are two separate issues, many aspects of a child’s well-being are actually contingent upon parents providing both.

According to information found on the Office of Child Support Enforcement’s website, child support can help enhance a child’s life in ways you may not expect. For example, older children who are the recipients of support funds may achieve better academic results. And child support can help younger children experience better cognitive development.

But similar results are also present with children who have active relationships with their fathers. And according to research, emotional and financial support are interrelated. This is because fathers who pay support tend to remain more engaged in their children’s lives and fathers who have strong bonds with their children have a greater tendency to keep up with their payments.

Moreover, information from the Census Bureau bears out that parents who have arrangements in place for visitation or custody have a greater likelihood of receiving support payments. And there are studies showing that support payments increase when issues of parenting time have been addressed.

Children need financial and emotional support from both parents, and a good parenting plan takes this fact into account. If you need to work out the details of your parenting plan, a California family law attorney could offer you the advice and guidance necessary to complete the process. The attorney could also represent your interests to help ensure that the needs of both you and your child are met.