The Crazy World of Child Support

 

Child Support....what a fun topic. 

This post will cover some basics of child support as far as how it is calculated, what the Court will  consider for increasing or decreasing a support order, the two ways of how to apply/modify support, and cash medical support. 

The major numbers that are factored into a child support order are the income the of the parties, the cost of health insurance coverage for the family, and childcare expenses such as daycare. 

There are several factors that a court can consider on whether to increase or decrease a child support order. The factors include, extended parenting time with the children, special or unusual needs of the children, other court ordered payments, the earning ability of the child, extraordinary travel expenses when exchanging a child/children for parenting time, financial resources/assets of the parents, benefits of remarriage or sharing living expenses with another person, the obligee's income, if the obligee's annual income is equal to or less than one hundred per cent of the federal poverty level, the amount of taxes paid, significant in-kind contributions from parent, including, but not limited to direct payments for schooling, lessons, etc., extraordinary work related expenses incurred by either parent, the standard of living and circumstances of each parent and child had the relationship continued, the educational opportunities that would have been available if the relationship had continued, responsibility of each parent for the support of others, post-secondary educational expenses paid for by a parent for the parent's own child or children, extraordinary childcare costs, and any other relevant factors. 

Fun fact: 90 overnights or more allows for a 10% deviation in child support. Some Court's allow for an additional deviation if the amount of overnights if 147 or more. 

As far as applying for child support, you can either apply through your county Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) or you can apply through the Court. 

For modifying support, there are certain factors that allow for a modification of support through the CSEA. Other modifications must be done through the Court. If a modification is done through the CSEA, the parties have an objection period. Any objections are heard through the Court. 

The CSEA will not take into account any deviation factors. All deviation factors, INCLUDING the number of overnights, must be heard through the Court. 

When Child Support is factored, another number is also factored called Cash Medical Support. Cash Medical Support is an amount ordered to be paid through a child support order toward ordinary medical expenses throughout the year. The person receiving child support will also receive the cash medical support, unless the health insurance is Medicaid. Once the first $388.70 is spent (per child) by the obligee in ordinary medical expenses, the remaining medical expenses are paid via a percentage as assigned to each party either by the court or the CSEA. Cash Medical Support can also be deviated, unless the insurance is Medicaid.