What is the uniform interstate family support act?

The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) addresses the issue of non-payment of child support. This was adopted by every state in the nation and requires each state to recognize child support orders from the child’s “home state”. The home state is defined as the place where the child has resided for the past six months before a child custody proceeding is commenced. When determining child support in Tennessee, the State is only concerned about how much each parent earns, how many children they are responsible for and the amount of time each parent spends with the kids. Unlike other states, Tennessee does not take into account your living expenses when awarding support amounts.

The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act

The primary goal of the Child Support Enforcement program is to ensure that children receive support from both biological parents. Single mothers may be receiving welfare when the biological father does not support them. In an effort to reduce welfare costs, the Child Support Enforcement program helps by initiating court proceedings to garnish wages and tracking down the absent parent. The UIFSA also protects the support orders originally in place of the child’s home state. This means that a parent cannot move to another state and try to obtain new support orders. The child’s home state has continuing exclusive jurisdiction and they are the only ones that can modify a support order.

Legal Advice From a Tennessee Family Law Attorney

When couples decide to get divorced, they often fight over money and property. Yet the biggest point of contention arises when they battle it out over child custody. The courts often look at what is in the best interest of the children when determining custody. If you appear before the family court judge as a parent who is unwilling to compromise, this can work against you. Therefore, it is important to get legal advice from a knowledgeable family law attorney who can help you with your custody case.