Question for anyone versed in Family Law?

Question

During proceedings concerning child support and custody situations is there ever an option of simply splitting custody jointly and completely absolving either party of child support payment?

I'm not familiar with family law at all- have no idea what happens in those sessions but I'm curious because i don't think I've ever heard of situations where both parents simply split custody (half the time with papa and the other half with mama) and therefore ruling that neither party should pay child support.

And wouldn't this make more sense than mandatory child support payments?- I don't know the answer to this- hence the asking of the question

Answer 1

You can arrange anything you want between the two parties as long as they both agree to it. This sounds entirely reasonable.

My wife works for a family law attorney. Ordinarily the two parties are at such odds against each other that something like this can't be agreed to. But if the split is friendly, it shouldn't be a problem.

Answer 2

Family Law in the US is controlled by the state and each state is different.

That being said, in my state you can have 50/50 split custody, but there will still be child support unless the parents make roughly the equal amount of money.  It's not fair to the kids to have them live in welfare half the week and live in a palace the other half.  The idea behind child support is that the kid's standard of living will be as unaffected as possible because their parent's got divorced.  It's not their fault.

That's why the money goes to the parent's and not the child.  The "standard of living" is the controlling determinant.