In California, it is required by law that both parents support their children. Judges must abide by the state's child support rules, which aim to ensure minimal support for a child. Judges may occasionally deviate from the rules, but only under certain circumstances.
Let's look at the significant factors influencing child support payments, how much they should be, and for what purposes they're for.
Primary Factors Calculated In California Child Support Payments
The amount of child support differs between families. The following are a few of the variables considered while calculating child support:
- Gross earnings for both parents
- How much time a child spends with each of their parents
- The financial effects on both parents
- Costs of union dues, pensions, and health insurance
- Either parent must cover the cost of childcare
With so many factors that affect the total amount of child support paid or received, calculating it might be very confusing. Hence, clients need to consult their California Family Law Attorney for any questions and concerns about it.
Can Judges Go Outside Of The Usual Child Support Calculation Factors In California?
California Family Code Section 4057 has a guideline that lists the mathematical factors that calculate child support payments in California.
Nevertheless, there are situations when applying the mathematical formula is not fair nor sane. Therefore, child support orders from judges have some discretion and may be lower or higher.
For example, when one of the following situations arises, a judge may decide to impose a different level of child support:
- A parent's income is "extraordinarily high." Still, the guidelines' recommended child support amount would be greater than what the kids need.
- A parent is not providing for the kids' needs to the extent of their custodial time.
- One parent spends significantly more (or substantially less) on housing than the other parent, even when both parents spend roughly equal amounts of time with the children.
- Due to the children's unique needs, additional child support may be necessary.
These unique circumstances will often require adjustments to the math related to child support payments. Your Los Angeles Child Support Lawyer will discuss these possible factors with you.
Are There Add-Ons For Child Support In California?
The courts may require a parent to pay a portion of certain costs that would benefit the kids. Judges must, for instance, mandate contributions to child care expenses associated with employment (or for reasonably necessary education or training for employment skills). That implies the court can order the other parent to contribute if one parent works but has to pay for child care.
Judges must also mandate that parents cover the children's reasonable uninsured health care costs. Therefore, the parent paying child support must contribute to meet the expenses of a kid's medical bills if insurance does not fully or completely cover them.
Judges may also demand parental support for:
- Expenses related to a child's special needs
- Costs related to a child's educational requirements
- Travel costs for when the kids visit the non-custodial parent
This means child support payments aren't a blanket calculation for every situation in California. Instead, there could be specific needs that children and their parents need to be fulfilled, and all of those are considered in the judge's final decision.
Find Prescreened Child Support Lawyers In Los Angeles
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