St. Charles Divorce & Family Law Blog by Stange Law Firm, PC

Missouri couples have faced unprecedented stress over the past several weeks. Schools, businesses, and even courts have been closed due to the state's response to a global health crisis. For couples that were considering ending a marriage, unexpected circumstances like unemployment or other financial matters may have put divorce plans on the back burner as households entered survival mode. Experts predict a surge in divorces in the coming months, and for people going through a high asset divorce, it may make good sense to act sooner rather than later. 

High asset divorces often entail weeks, months or sometimes even years of legal process. Many people facing similar circumstances may feel stuck in their current marriage because most courts are only hearing emergency cases and remain closed to the public. Many people are also stuck in the house with the spouse they plan to divorce, so talking about an upcoming split may cause even more stress. 

Each family is unique, and in many households, one or both spouses have children from a previous relationship. In many marriages, a spouse may have child support obligations to another party. Some Missouri couples report frustration with the stimulus payments that were recently issued by the federal government because if one spouse owes back child support, the other spouse may not get a payment either. 

The stimulus checks have a stipulation that states that the payment will be applied to back any child support balance if a person is in arrears. The back balance clause kicks in at a certain amount which varies by state, but in Missouri, a person must only be behind by $500 before the stimulus is affected. Some residents feel that the guidelines are unclear, and express concern that they do not know if they should expect a stimulus payment or not. 

Missouri parents are facing new challenges during the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A previous post ("Is your parenting plan ready for COVID-19?," March 18, 2020) provided information about handling custody issues while kids are home instead of in school. Now, many parents face another issue that affects thousands of families. Child support payments ensure that parents provide financial support, but the public health crisis has many parents in a bind. 

One Missouri father made headlines when he expressed concerns that he would fall behind on child support payments while he is unable to work. Many businesses are closed, and employees are either working less hours or not at all. The man explained that he may not be able to afford his regular payments, but did not want his child to suffer due to his own financial hardships. Currently, there is no relief for parents facing similar circumstances. 

For many Missouri families, the past few weeks have been a bit chaotic. Parents that try to keep up with national news have found that the headlines are changing quickly, and it has become difficult to stay abreast of the latest legislation. Congress recently approved a stimulus package to help taxpaying citizens while many schools and businesses are closed, but parents that owe back child support may not be eligible to receive these funds. 

At last calculation, nearly six million American parents are owed child support, but less than half have received the full amount owed. This indicates that millions of custodial parents must find other ways to provide basic necessities for their children. Missouri courts calculate child support on a case by case basis, and when a parent fails to fulfill his or her obligation, a child may not have access to the important things the payments are supposed to be used for.