When parents and grandparents share custody OF A CHILD, who pays child support?
Under Minn. Stat. § 518A.35, subd. 1(b), “the basic child support obligation shall be determined by referencing the guideline for the appropriate number of joint children and the combined parental…
MOVING OUT OF STATE WITH MY CHILD, WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?
Moving to another state and leaving our Minnesota winters behind can be an exciting change, but, if your move includes your child that you share with a parent you’re not…
What Does Primary Residence Mean And Why Is It Important?
What Does Primary Residence Mean And Why Is It Important? When I talk to people about child custody orders and parenting time schedules, the topic of ‘primary residence’ sometimes comes…
HOW CAN I GET MY EX TO HELP WITH DAY CARE EXPENSES?
For working parents, finding child care can be a scramble; especially for single parents. Whether you’re using a licensed day care, a nanny, a friend or relative, you’ve gotta find…
Using the Court’s Contempt Powers to Enforce a Child Support Order
I sometimes get asked what can be done about a parent who isn’t paying child support. It can be frustrating because there are sometimes different factors that explain why a…
Who Claims The Kids? The Riddle of Claiming Tax Dependency Exemption
If you’re a parent, and you’ve filed taxes, you’re probably aware that the US tax code permits a taxpayer to claim an exemption for each of his or her dependents….
FATHER’S RIGHTS IN DETERMINING A CHILD’S NAME
I sometimes get asked by mothers whether they can change their child’s name, without the permission of the father. It’s a fair question; why should the child not have the…
Child Custody: The Importance of Making it Legal
When married couples separate with the intention of making it permanent, a divorce almost always follows. That is because the law recognizes the legal relationship known as marriage. In order…
WHEN SCIENCE IS NOT ENOUGH; MAKING THE CASE FOR PATERNITY IN MINNESOTA
If you’ve ever wondered how a father can ‘prove’ he is dad, you wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that a genetic test, or a ‘paternity test’ is the way to…
Unmarried Parents and Custody / Parenting Time
I previously blogged about Orders for Protection and divorce. My basic point was that when police advise people to “Get an OFP,” it’s usually because all they really want is…