The parent’s income is one of the most critical factors in calculating child support. Some states consider the incomes of both parents, while others consider the income of only the noncustodial parent. The proportion of time spent by each parent with the child also plays a vital role in deciding child support. Check this Website to get more info about child support.
The following factors are considered by the states while determining child support.
- The parent’s share of child support or alimony received from a previous marriage.
- If one parent is already paying alimony or child support from a previous marriage.
- If one of the parents is responsible for children produced from another marriage.
- Payment of health insurance and the parent responsible for it.
- If either parent spends money on daycare and its associated costs.
- If one of the parents is responsible for union payments or other reductions from their salary.
- The child’s age.
- If one of the parents is staying with a new partner, their contribution to expenses incurred by household chores is also considered.
Instances when the child support is higher or lower than usual
The child support amount may be increased or decreased in the following instances:
- The parent not getting custody can afford higher child support. If the parent paying child support has a good income and makes enough money, the judge may increase the child support payment.
- The payments get lowered in some cases as well. If the amount set by guidelines is way more than required for the child’s expenses and needs, the judge may change the payment and lower the amount.
- Suppose the parent paying the custody is unable to pay the due amount for specific reasons, like meager income or recent loss of employment. In that case, the judge may reduce the support amount initially set by the guidelines. However, it is not permanent, and the judge may fix a time for reviewing the case after a while and making necessary modifications.
- If the child is disabled or has medical or psychological issues, the amount may be increased to cater to the child’s needs and pay the medical bills. It is also increased in cases where the child is interested in the arts or sports. The court can ask the paying parent to pay a higher amount of child support to ensure that the child can continue participating in their activities of interest.
- If the paying parent is purposely picking low-wage jobs despite their true potential, the judge calculates the child support based on their potential. This is known as imputing income, which occurs when the parent responsible for child support decides to avoid paying a sufficient amount.