Calculating Child Support

If you are starting to go through the process of filing for divorce, you may find the process of calculating child support to be tedious and confusing. Child support is the term given to a parent's financial obligation to support their children and each state's government will use different methods of calculation to determine how much money each parent needs to pay in divorce cases. State and federal regulations require parents who are getting a divorce to pay child support; it is not optional and cannot be waived.

Before child support can be calculated, a couple must first agree upon child custody rights. Child support is then calculated with the help of several factors. Your previous parenting habits, the needs of the child, the child's current standard of living and the ability of the non-custodial parent to support him or herself will all play a role in the judge's decision. You do not have to worry if you have previously committed misconduct as a parent or if you are receiving the majority of the marital assets, these factors will not play a role in the amount of child support you pay.

For some states, child support calculation is based purely upon the income of the non-custodial parent. Other states consider both parent's incomes in determining child support arrangements. If you are unhappy with your child support arrangement, you may petition the court for modification of your child support obligation. Many times, a parent will simply stop or refuse to pay their portion of child support. This is a huge mistake, and the parent who refuses to pay may be under the contempt of the court. The government typically uses consequences such as seizure of income tax refunds, suspension of the parent's driver's license, and revocation of any professional licenses to rebuke the parent who refuses to pay child support. Depending on the case, the non-paying parent may even be sentenced to jail time.

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