Once a divorce or a separation has been legally completed, it is time to think of child support. While most people follow the decision that the judge has made regarding child support, some may even agree to voluntarily pay child support without going through the rigmarole of courts and lawyers. While an agreement of this sort can be notarized, it may not stand much chance in a court of law if there is conflict later on.
However, if you want to handle this situation by writing a child support agreement letter, you may need to know a few things. The best way to go about it is to ask a lawyer to help you draw the agreement. You will need to look for at least one witness (or as many as the lawyer suggests) and have him / them sign the child support agreement before having it notarized. Since you are volunteering to pay child support, it can be deemed that the divorce settlement was amiable. In such a case, you may not feel the need to go back on your word so it is best to write a one without the direct involvement of a court.
Your lawyer might suggest that you write a voluntary child support agreement letter yourself or have him draw up one. In the latter situation, you may have a better chance of coming up with a professional sounding agreement so it is best to leave it to your lawyer. Here is what a child support agreement letter looks like:
Voluntary Child Support Agreement Letter Sample
Child Support Agreement
This agreement is being made on behalf of Mr. Peter Pollock who has volunteered to pay child support for his daughter, Ms. Bridget Pollock (5 years old at the time of this agreement), in the wake of his divorce finalized on January 10, 2015. The details are given below:
Father: Peter Pollock
Mother: Sarah Pollock nee Rogers
Daughter: Bridget Pollock
Mr. Pollock has agreed to pay a monthly amount of $2000 as child support for his daughter. This amount will be directly credited to Ms. Rogers’ bank account and will be spent on school fees and daily living costs for Ms. Pollock. Mr. Pollock has also volunteered to put a down payment for a car for his daughter’s use amounting to $1500 in the first week of February, 2015, monthly payments of which will be handled by Ms. Rogers if agreed upon by both parties.
In the event of a conflict on these terms or thereafter, both parties agree to settle the issue through personal discussion and mediation outside the courtroom. The details of this agreement have been approved by both parents and both agree to have this agreement submitted to court to be notarized.
_____________ ___________________
Peter Pollock (Father) Sarah Rogers (Mother)
_____________________
Witness