How is child support calculated?

Family Law

Child support is ordered for all children in all dissolution of marriage and paternity cases. Child support is calculated based upon the net income after taxes and other deductions of each party. There are child support guidelines, with a specified amount for child support based upon the total net income of both parties and the number of children. The child care costs and health insurance costs are then added to the child support amount to determine the total child support. The percentage of child support to be paid by the parent paying child support is determined based upon that parent’s percentage of the total net income. Other factors, such as timesharing and previous child support obligations, or the special needs of a child, may also affect the amount of child support paid.