CHILD SUPPORT
Introduction
• The impact of divorce on children can be severe, both emotionally and economically.
Children who grow up in single parent families have a much greater risk of living in
poverty than children who live with both parents. Even when parents have a steady
income, it is more expensive to maintain two separate households than it is to
maintain one.
• Vermont has declared as public policy that children of separated parents shall be
supported in the same manner as they would have had the parents been living in the
same household. The purpose of this public policy is to protect the children of
separated parents. Child support must take into consideration the true costs of
raising children and consider the standard of living the children had when the parents
were living together.
• To make sure that children of separated parents receive continued support from both
parents once a divorce has started, a child support hearing is scheduled, whether the
parents want one or not. To avoid having to come to court, parents are encouraged
to make agreements on child support in advance and file all the required paperwork.
Ask the court clerk about what needs to be filed and how you can make agreements
that will be approved by the court. Some courts have workshops where the court
staff will help you fill out the forms.
• The court will schedule a hearing with the Case Manager soon after the case is filed.
The Case Manager will explain the court process to you, and can assist you in
reaching agreement on both parental rights and responsibilities as well as child
support, and Guideline calculations. (See “Child Support Guidelines”, below.)
• The case manager can help you draw up agreements and prepare an Order for the
Judge and/or Magistrate to sign. If you cannot reach agreement, the matter will
then be scheduled before the Magistrate for a Child Support hearing or before the
Judge in matters of parental rights and responsibilities.
• The Magistrate is a judicial o