Minnesota fans of former football player and current "Fox NFL Sunday" co-host Michael Strahan may have heard that he is currently involved in a dispute with his ex-wife about back child support for their 14-year-old twin daughters. In their initial divorce settlement in 2006, his wife received $15.3 million, and he agreed to pay $18,000 per month in child support. In 2009, the amount was modified to $13,000.
When parents are unable to pay child support
In Minnesota, child support orders are based on the parents' income. A non-custodial parent or even a parent who shares custody may be ordered to pay child support to the other parent in order to support the child's lifestyle and standard of living. However, those orders are based on a snapshot of a time when the order is put into place. Of course, a parent's lifestyle can change over time. In particular, parents may suffer financial hardship as a result of a job loss, disability or unexpected illness. They may find themselves unable to pay their child support bills and rack up unrepayable debt.
Recognizing signs of parental alienation
When you split from your romantic partner and your child’s other parent in Minnesota, it makes sense that there might be some bad blood between the two of you. While this is not uncommon, in especially contentious cases, you may begin to develop concerns about your child’s other parent attempting to turn him or her against you. At Huson Law Firm, PLLC, we recognize that, in some cases, one parent’s efforts to turn a shared child against the other can constitute parental alienation, which is a dangerous behavior that can have a substantial and negative effect on your child.
