Child support calculation and modification is usually governed by local state laws. Courts are required to consider income, work-related childcare, health insurance costs, children from other relationships, and number of overnights spent with each parent in determining the “guideline” child support amount.
Figuring out your “guideline” is usually straightforward. The amount can be quickly determined by having a Child Support Lawyer run a “Child Support Worksheet” for you. If you would like a free Child Support Worksheet, contact your local WSM office who will be able to ensure you are provided with guidance specific to your local state laws.
Difficulties can occur in calculating guideline support, when one or both parents have complex incomes or if one or both parents are intentionally unemployed or intentionally underemployed. Self-employment, executive compensation, employment benefits, employer matching, passive growth on separate property, or combined incomes over certain thresholds can all complicate an otherwise straightforward process. If you or your spouse have these income issues, you should immediately seek out the services of a Child Support Lawyer.
Once the guideline amount is established, courts are permitted to deviate, either up or down, from the guideline, at their discretion, based on numerous factors which are governed by local state laws. Those factors include special or unusual needs of a child, extraordinary costs associated with travel necessary to exercise visitation with the children, large disparities in income, significant direct expenses paid by a parent, and differences in standard of living.
Child Support is ALWAYS modifiable.
If you have questions about child support calculation or modification, contact a Child Support Lawyer to figure out where you stand.
