This is the next post in my series providing information to Las Vegas parents who either wish to file for child support for the first time or require guidance as to what to do if a parent stops paying child support. My last post provided an overview of topics which I will be discussing in further detail. In this post I will be explaining when a single parent may want to strategically give up their right to child support.
The state of Nevada believes that both parents should always be charged with financially supporting any and all biological children. In most cases your family law attorney will encourage you to aggressively pursue a negligent biological parent for child support and force him or her to pay their fair share. However there are rare times in which it may be in a single parent’s overall best interest to make the conscious choice not to seek child support.
The main reason why a parent may wish to do this is if that parent strongly believes the child is better off without any contact with their biological parent. Reasons for this may be that a parent engages in illegal activity, is a drug user, is prone to violence, is unreliable, or is unaware that they have parented a child. While it is possible to obtain sole physical custody and still collect child support, some parents wish to keep the access door to their child firmly closed to the other parent. Choosing not to pursue child support is one way to do this.
If a parent is ordered to pay child support then it is likely that they will be provided some rights to the child, even if they are not eligible for joint custody. Rights may include visitation, a right to be included in major medical decisions, a right to be updated about a child’s education, rights to photos of the child, a right to know where the child is living, etc. It is a rare case that a parent would be ordered to pay child support, but would be afforded no access to the child of any kind.
For parents who believe that cutting a parent out of their child’s life is the best decision, simply choosing to not file for child support is an easy way to do so. If said parent has not attempted to have contact with the child, and the custodial parent has the financial means to support the child without assistance, leaving the status quo may be in the child’s best interest.
If you are a single parent and do not want to file for child support for the above reasons, it may be in your best interest to talk to an attorney if there is a possibility the biological parent could ask for access to the child in the future. A family law attorney can help you weigh your options, protect your future, and make a decision that is best for your child. Contact our office today for a consultation.