Pennsylvania Child Support Legal Questions

You have several issues that might benefit from an attorney's guidance: Is the child your son?  You can request a test to determine paternity.  The papers you received should tell you how to respond to that issue, but an attorney can make it more clear.  The papers you received sound like they were from a support action started in your county court.  A court deciding support will take into account all of your sources of income in calculating your child support responsibility.  If he is your son, and you notify Social Security, then he may be eligible for what are called "derivative benefits", which are payments to him on your behalf.  I do not know if the military has a similar benefit, but if they do you could reduce your out of pocket payments in support. I suggest you talk with an attorney just because you have these different sources of income and there may be issues with each of them.  Your case is just more complicated than most.... Read More

The issue of support and visitation are often confused.  Courts will not deprive a parent or a child of visitation/custody due to a failure to provide for child support.  They are seen as two different issues. However, if mother has income from SSI, she may be required to pay some support for the children, but pursuing this would be up to their father and it is not likely to be very much money.... Read More

Each county has an office known as Domestic Relations.  All child support matters are filed there and hearings are scheduled.  The first issue is always paternity.  DRO must schedule a DNA test, and all 3 of you will be tested.  The costs of the test will be shared.  That will determine the issue.  If it comes back that you are not the father, she can still make an argument that the test was wrong or that you held yourself out to be the father.  But that is unusual. ... Read More

In Pennsylvania, children are entitled to be supported by both of their parents, if possible.  The amount is calculated by a set formula based on the income of both parents and the number of children.  If you went to your county domestic relations office, you can ask them to begin the process of requiring the mother to pay child support.  There is a website where you can investigate child support further at https://www.humanservices.state.pa.us/csws/home_controller.aspx. Child support orders can sometimes be difficult to enforce, and may be less than you think you are entitled to receive, but the order is a way to keep track of what is supposed to be paid.  If you were making payments under an order, you would be asking to modify it to reflect that you now had primary physical custody of your daughter.... Read More