Is a grandparent required to pay child support if they get custody of a grandchild?

In North Carolina, a grandparent who obtains legal custody of a grandchild is not required to pay the grandchild’s child support. If the custodial parent of the child is unable to financially support the grandchild, the court may order the custodial parent to pay child support. However, if the custodial parent is not able to pay, the court may also order the non-custodial parent to pay the child support. The grandparents’ rights law in North Carolina is extremely flexible, and grandparents do not have a legal obligation to assume the same financial responsibilities as a parent for their grandchild. Furthermore, grandparent custody does not automatically make the grandparents legally obligated to do more than provide a home and often times other necessities for the grandchild. Generally speaking, when a grandparent gets custody of a grandchild, the grandparent is not automatically responsible for paying the child’s bills or expenses like would be the case if the grandparent was the parent. Furthermore, the court typically looks at the financial stability and well-being of the grandparent who has custody of the grandchild. If the court finds that the grandparent cannot financially support the grandchild’s needs, the financial responsibility may be placed on the parent responsible for the grandchild.

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Is a grandparent required to pay child support if they get custody of a grandchild?

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