Divorce can be a trying time for any couple: Each party may be disillusioned at the thought that their partner was not who they had initially expected them to be. If the couple has children, the situation can be even tougher in terms of determining who will gain custody of the children and how much child support they should be awarded. A judge in California will make the final decisions in these areas unless the couple can reach an agreement on their own.
In one celebrity case, Charlie Sheen and Brooke Muller, his ex-wife, have struck a deal in which Sheen is allowed to lower his child support payments as long as their twin boys do not stay with Muller. Before negotiating this agreement, Sheen’s monthly child support amount was $55,000 each month. The new deal let Sheen pay just half of that instead.
This means that Sheen’s new child support amount is $25,000 amount. He will have to pay his original amount, however, if the twins do begin to live with her once again. This deal was reached without a judge having to make a ruling in court.
Several factors are considered by a judge when determining what one parent’s child support payment will be. Striking a deal outside of a court in California can increase both parties’ chances of achieving a result that is satisfactory to both sides. Understanding one’s rights when it comes to child support is crucial so that they get what they deserve if they are awarded child support or so that they avoid paying more than they reasonably should if they end up having to pay child support.
Source: radaronline.com, Charlie Sheen’s Child Support Payments To Brooke Mueller Slashed In Half, Jen Heger, Sept. 17, 2013