Halle Berry to pay monthly child support of $16,000
Illinois fans of the movie actress Halle Berry may have followed recent developments during a child support case in which she was ordered on May 30 to pay $16,000 per month to the father of her 6-year-old child. Berry is married with an 8-month old son, but she has a daughter by her ex-boyfriend.
Berry and her ex have been in court before. In 2012, a judge ruled that she could not move her daughter to France. In the present case, Berry was also ordered to pay court costs of $300,000 and a retroactive payment of $115,000 to her ex-boyfriend. She will split the cost of health care for their daughter with her ex, but she will be solely responsible for the child's tuition.
Although in traditional arrangements men often paid child support to women, child support obligations may fall on parents of either gender depending on their incomes and personal situations. Parents who wish to modify child custody or support arrangements should keep a few things in mind. They should only move forward with the case if it is in the best interests of the child. They should also remember that they may have to pay the other parent's legal fees as Berry was ordered to.
If divorced parents cannot come to an agreement, a judge may rule on other issues as well such as preventing a child from being moved far from the other parent. However, before a case goes to court, parents may wish to discuss the situation with their respective attorneys and see if it is possible to negotiate an agreement. This may result in an outcome that is to everyone's advantage.
Source: ABC News, "Halle Berry to Pay $16K Each Month in Child Support", June 09, 2014
