CHILD SUPPORT – Child support should be awarded in any paternity, separation or dissolution. The amount is determined based on both parties’ incomes and the amount of time each party will be spending with the child. The right to support belongs to the child, so the parent who needs the support is almost never allowed to give it up entirely. Of course, there can be an exchange – if the marital home has a value, and one party wants it, that value may be exchanged for support for a period of time. Another issue that arises frequently is enforcement. Although child support can be automatically deducted from a party’s paycheck, that doesn’t always happen, so there may be a need to file a motion to enforce if it isn’t paid. It’s also likely that, after a while, the receiving party will a need to ask for an increase – and that requires petition for modification. Child support generally ends when the child reaches age 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, or if the child becomes other emancipated.