If a court awards a mother primary physical custody of her children and orders a father to pay child support, we are typically not surprised. Our reaction tends to be different when we hear about a court awarding custody to a father and requiring the mother to pay child support. The law dictates that fathers have an equal right to both custody and child support and more dads are now fighting for both.
During past decades, fathers stood little chance of receiving primary custody of their children following a divorce. Though the law stipulated a father’s equal custody rights, most courts viewed mothers as the primary caregivers and it was difficult to alter their perspective. Today, more dads are retaining a father’s rights lawyer, fighting to receive custody of their children, and winning. This notable shift is changing the dynamics of the modern family.
Father’s rights extend past the ability to win custody to the right to receive child support if the mother is more financially secure. More fathers are opting to stay home to raise their children while mothers continue working. If the couple gets divorced, these males are left to fend for themselves without any source of income. Child support provides temporary financial relief until fathers can find jobs.
A father should not be ashamed to request child support if the mother of the children earns more money or was the only source of household income during the marriage. After all, most mothers would not hesitate to fight for child support. Dads are entitled to receive the money they need to provide a comfortable lifestyle for children in their care. Though child support is usually temporary, it removes the pressure for fathers to accept mediocre jobs just to earn some money.
While receiving child support, fathers can take time to improve their skills by returning to school or getting the training required to secure decent employment. Once the father begins earning enough money to support himself and his children child support payments will cease and each adult will be financially independent.
Men who want to learn more about fathers child support rights should consult with a father’s rights lawyer. They will receive information about how to substantiate the need for child support and an estimate of the amount and duration of this financial assistance. An attorney will even help a father prepare a well-documented request for child support and submit this to a family court.
