When a relationship between two loving parents begins to break down, the rift may not be readily apparent. Circumstances will change as the weeks and months go by, however, and it may soon become apparent that the differences are terminal. In this case, both individuals may start to worry about the children, especially as they are at an impressionable age. They may understand that separation is imminent, but how will this affect the kids? Who is responsible for what and how can any agreement be made?

Getting Help

In the vast majority of cases, both separating parents will be more concerned about the welfare of the children than anything else, but that does not mean that it will be easy to reach an agreement. This is why rules and regulations have been drawn up by the government to determine how each child is supported in this eventuality.

Areas of Coverage

Broadly speaking, child support is broken down into six areas, including housing, food, medical, schooling, clothing and extracurricular activities. Both parents should try to reach an amicable agreement to determine who is going to pay for the services and how time is going to be split between each parent.

Making Calculations

It can certainly be difficult to come up with these calculations, especially where the individual's income is concerned. Thankfully, the government has an estimating tool that can help people calculate how much child support needs to be provided, based on varying parameters.

This estimator uses special algorithms that analyse the circumstances of each parent while considering any other obligations, the number of dependent children involved and their individual age. They will also take into account the amount of time each parent will be able to spend with the children, depending on their geographical location and other commitments.

Coming to Agreement

In an ideal world, both parents would finalise these calculations between them and come to an amicable agreement to cover everything. They would then agree to pay the money privately, but they can also use services provided by the Child Support Agency if need be.

Challenging Details

However, it can sometimes be difficult to determine the financial position of both parties, especially if one is a bit recalcitrant. Other factors may need to be underlined as well, including travel costs and time constraints, before a more realistic figure can emerge.

Gaining Focus

Sometimes, help will be needed to unravel all the details and make a more pressing case. Consequently, it's often a good idea to enlist the services of a family law solicitor to focus attention.