Many divorcing or recently divorced parents buy extravagant gifts for their children. Often, it appears that the parent is doing so out of guilt over the divorce process or is either consciously or unconsciously attempting to buy the child's love. Worse, some parents try to buy the child as an ally against the other parent. None of these gifts are really what the children need, and they rarely accomplish the goal. Children need gifts during and after their parents' divorce, but not the sort that comes in packaging. First, give them the gift of considering their needs first. Many parents get so focused on fighting the other parent or punishing the other parent (although very few of them actually think…

Arizona courts award spousal maintenance and child support based upon circumstances at the time the court makes the order. Often, the parents' or former spouses' circumstances change. Incomes change, day care costs change, insurance costs change. Many people think that they can go to court in a few months and modify child support or spousal maintenance effective as of the date the circumstances changed. However, Arizona courts have repeatedly held that they cannot modify child support or spousal maintenance retroactively to a date before the date that the person seeking a modification filed the petition to modify. For example, Father pays $500 per month pursuant to a child support order. In January, he loses his job, but quickly finds another…

Arizona courts calculate child support pursuant to the Arizona Child Support Guidelines. Courts may deviate from the guidelines, but must make findings that the deviation is in the minor children's best interest. The Arizona Supreme Court has an online calculator to help people in Phoenix and Arizona calculate the amount of child support that Arizona courts will probably calculate. You can find the Arizona child support calculator here: azcourts.gov/familylaw/2011childsupportcalculator.aspx Child support in Arizona is a calculation that includes the gross monthly income (before taxes) of both parents, with adjustments for payments made or received for spousal maintenance, children of one parent not common to the parties living with that party, and child support paid for other children not common to…

Read Full Article: New child custody law begins Jan. 1