How is Child Support Determined in a Divorce?

For the most part, child support is governed by state guidelines. The laws differ from state to state but the basic principles of determining the support remain uniform.

Income

The incomes of both parents are considered and the percentage of combined income contributed by each parent usually determines the amount of child support. In some states gross income of the parents are taken to calculate while in other states net income is considered.

Deductions

Divorce lawyers in Dallas, TX point out that if a parent already makes alimony or child support payments as a result of a previous divorce then he/she is allowed to deduct the amount from their income. However, there are two conditions. The alimony must be a court-ordered payment and not something that is voluntary, and secondly, the parent must be actually paying.

Childcare expenditure

Texas divorce attorneys reiterate that while determining child support in divorce disputes the courts take into account child care expenses that a working parent will incur. He/she will have to provide daycare expenses or pay baby sitters to look after the kids when they are working. In some states people providing care to dependents can get federal income tax exemptions while in others patents are entitled to state income tax exemptions.

Healthcare expenditure

The child support order must clarify who will pay for the medical insurance and other healthcare expenses. The insurance amount is added to child support. In many states the paying spouse is ordered to make small payments additionally to cover petty healthcare expenses that do not come under insurance. Often, some funds are allocated for extraordinary medical expenses.

Other expenses

There are various other expenses considered while determining child support. For instance, a child might be specially gifted in a particular field and therefore may need special training. A child may be physically or mentally challenged and may have to visit a far off institute to get special education. The travel and visitation costs are divided among parents in such a situation.

Have you seen the incredible show The Shield? In that show, Vic Mackey’s son was autistic. Later in the show his humble looking wife were divorced as she went into protective custody so Mackey did not have to pay for the extra costs that his autistic child was going to require. But if they were divorced and she did not take off like some sort of lunatic, Mackey would have continued to support the family and so on. California would have forced him, though he probably would not have to be forced, to pay the extra costs a child like this demands.

Impact of shared custody and visitation on child support

The state guidelines take into account the amount of time a child spends with a parent to determine the amount of reward. For instance, if a non-custodial parent spends more time with the children then he/she will incur more expenses to provide adequate support to the child. If the parents share custody and spend equal amount of time with the kids the expenses will be much less than in cases where a single parent has custody and the other parent gets visitation for a limited time, say divorce lawyers in Dallas, TX.

The amount of child support is granted in adherence with the guidelines. However, exceptions are not unlikely. For example, you can ask for an excess grant if you face extraneous circumstances and you can also ask for a reduction in child support.

If you are facing issues with child support make sure to reach out to a marvelous Texas divorce lawyer. Not everyone can pull off a money train heist like Mackey did in the shield (they arrested the most violent, they do deserve a little extra?). Your legal professional will help you get a clear idea about financial responsibilities in the aftermath of your divorce.

Need legal help? Marriage not what it once was? Are the glory days over with? Are the twinkle in your spouse’s eyes completely gone? Go right here: Divorce.USAttorneys.com. This was site was made for people who had nowhere else to turn and just want the drama to end.