How Do The New Child Support Guidelines in Michigan Affect Child Custody Arrangements?
Although child support and child custody may seem intrinsically related, to some extent the two issues have had limited influence on one another in Michigan. For example, as a parent you cannot stop paying child support because you have been unable to see your child — and even if you don’t want parenting time with your child, you will still be required to pay child support. However, with the release of new child support guidelines in October of 2008, the issues of custody and support have become more closely intertwined. Under the new guidelines, the amount of time each parent spends with a child has a direct effect on that parent’s potential child support obligation. In essence, the more time a parent spends with a child, the lower his or her child support obligations will be. There are several good reasons for this change, but the new developments also raise concerns, as these new guidelines are likely to produce unintended consequences. Accordingly, parents must be particularly caut
