New App to Help Parents With Child Support, Sharing Expenses

 Posted on March 25, 2016 in Child Support

As technology continues to impact more and more aspects of daily living, it is hardly surprising that digital connectivity can now help facilitate financial discussions and even transactions between divorced parents. A new smartphone app called SupportPay is trying to the change the way that co-parents communicate about child support and sharing expenses, and developers hope that those use it can reduce uncertainty and prevent unnecessary hostility.

Basic Child Support

The law in Illinois typically requires a supporting parent to pay a percentage of his or her income to the other parent to assist with the child’s most basic needs. While many parents make child support payments via payroll deduction, others make monthly or biweekly payments on their own. SupportPay allows parents to make and manage their required payments through PayPal.

Additional Considerations

Most orders for child support also require both parents to share the financial burden of medical expenses, child care, and extracurricular activities. However, parents may not be interested in running to court every time their child wants to sign up for a new club or sport, or when an expensive medical procedure is needed. The developers of SupportPay say that the app allows a parent to enter the appropriate expense, including what needs to be paid and why, and even upload a copy of the receipt. The information can then be sent to the other parent, who can dispute or pay the requested amount. Depending on the app version, it maintains records of all transactions and can export them for later use by lawyers and courts should the need ever arise.

Reducing Conflict

Apps like SupportPay and other communication tools will never completely eliminate disagreements between divorced parents over sharing expenses. But, many family and financial experts believe that full disclosure can improve compliance. They believe that failure to pay child support is often not about the money, but about the skepticism that many supporting parents have regarding how the payments are being used. With careful record-keeping and better organizations, parents can more thoroughly understand where the money is going and how it is helping their child.

Child Support Help

While smartphone apps and other digital gadgets may be helpful, they cannot provide legal assistance or advice regarding child support laws or your specific obligations. Such concerns should only be addressed by an experienced Lombard family law attorney. At A. Traub & Associates, we are ready to help you find the answers you need, as well as to action when necessary to protect your rights and those of your children. Call 630-426-0196 today to schedule a confidential consultation.

Sources:

http://www.springfieldildivorceblog.com/2016/02/new-app-helps-end-squabbles-over-childrearing-costs.shtml

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075000050HPt%2E+V&ActID=2086&ChapterID=0&SeqStart=6100000&SeqEnd=8350000