NBA star and former Phoenix Suns player Steve Nash recently returned to Arizona but not to play basketball. Instead, he returned to Arizona to continue his heated divorce proceedings regarding child support and whether or not his ex-wife and children will be moving to California.
Nash has previously stated many times that he does not think his ex-wife and children should move to Los Angeles, where he currently lives. This issue has turned into a child support debate because if Nash’s ex-wife and children move to California, Nash may be required to pay child support to his ex-wife under California law.
Nash is currently not required to pay any child support to his ex under the terms of their divorce settlement. According to their divorce settlement, he does pay for the children’s private education and health insurance.
Due to divorce and family law guidelines in Arizona, his ex-wife needs permission from a Family Court judge to relocate their children out-of-state. If the judge grants her request and she moves to California, she could later file for child support that would be subject to California guidelines to determine the amount of child support granted.
His ex-wife testified in court that the only reason Nash does not want them to move from Arizona to California is because he would be required to abide by California child support laws and guidelines. She said that she would like her children to live closer to their dad, saying how much the children missed seeing him.
However, Nash said that his children were doing well living in Arizona and that they are able to spend time with his parents, who lives in Arizona for half the year.
If Nash’s ex-wife and children are allowed to move to California, the family will have to decide another contentious issue: where to send the children to school. Nash said that if the come to California, he would like the kids to go to public school where he lives, but his ex-wife testified that she would like them to attend a private school that costs $25,000 for each child a year.
Source: AZ Central, “Former Sun Steve Nash in Phoenix for court hearing,” Craig Harris, May 30, 2013
