Understanding The Court Part of Divorce Settlement

When child support is included in a divorce settlement, then the amount of each child support payment will be listed in the divorce decree. There also might be a breakdown, which allots for the acceptable spending of the child support

A divorce settlement may also include information about a future education for the child. Parents may take this time to agree to a college tuition plan. In many states, child support must be paid until the child turns 21 years of age, especially if they are in college. It is common for the family courts to order some sort of educational fund from the non-custodial parent in divorce settlements. Even in states that allow the non-custodial parent to stop all child support payments when the child turns 18 years of age, agreements may include money for college in the divorce settlement.


Divorce settlements that do not include child support payments are rare. If one needs to modify the court ordered child support payments at a later time, this will not be recorded on the divorce settlement. A modification of child support is a different matter, and will usually happen well after a divorce settlement is in place. A divorce settlement can be modified as well, although it is less likely to be modified than a child support agreement. Child support agreements are commonly modified as the child grows.


Many divorce settlements will include necessary information about child support arrangements. If there is no divorce settlement, as is the case with unwed couples, the child support arrangement will be a separate matter; whether or not a couple was ever married has no bearing on the child's right to be financially supported by both parents.

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