Did you know that social media can affect your family law matters, including child support payments? This is true and something every parent should know about. Consider the following, and if you have further questions, please call a child support lawyer.
Social Media Can Affect the Amount of Child Support
When a judge is considering who can pay for child support and how much is to be paid, a judge may review social media accounts. As a child support lawyer might explain to you, there are various ways in which social media contact can actually impact support, as well as custody.
Social Media Might Contradict Claims Made By a Parent
When a parent is ordered to pay child support, it is possible that he or she will attempt to claim they make less money than they really do. Sometimes a parent will be paid under the table or hide tips as an attempt to make it look like they are not making that much money. Social media content could suggest otherwise. For example, pictures might show that the parent is living a lifestyle that they should not be able to afford according to the information provided to the court. Expensive purchases, frequent dining out, partying, and going on lavish vacations might suggest there is more money available. If you are concerned about this, you can call a child support lawyer.
Social Media Might Impact Child Custody
It is certainly possible for social media to have an indirect effect on child support through influencing the amount of custody or parenting time that is granted by a judge. In other words, parents are allowed to have a social life. They can go out with friends and have a good time. However, social media could portray a parent engaging in illicit activity or behaviors. For example, there might be content that suggests an alcohol addiction, drinking and driving, or using illegal substances. When the content appears to be during a time that the parent should have been with the child, there could be problems. Issues like these might influence a judge to limit the parents’ time with the child, or they might give the other parent more time with the child. As a result, the parent who has less time could be ordered to pay a greater amount of child support.
Social Media Might Suggest Custody Problems
Child support payments are dependent upon where the child will be spending most of their time. In general, the non-custodial parent will be ordered to pay support to the custodial parent. Should these circumstances chance, the support may need to be adjusted. In relation to social media, there may be content that suggests the child is not spending a lot of time with their custodial parent, but rather another family member or friend. In this case, the paying parent might allege the custodial parent is not spending enough quality time with the child; therefore, they should receive less support.
If you or your ex spouse is trying to come to an arrangement for child support, it may be a good idea to seek a lawyer, like a family lawyer from the Law Office of Daniel Wright, for help. Call a law firm today.