Multiple factors go into deciding child support payments and who has to pay them. In some cases, both parents will be mandated by the court to pay child support to each other. Understanding what factors go into deciding who pays child support can help you build a divorce case in your favor. Calculating how much child support you may have to pay can help you financially prepare. Talk to a Tennessee family law lawyer to find out more about what you can do in this type of situation.
How Child Support is Calculated
There are different that are considered before a final court order is issued. Child factors will be thoroughly assessed to ensure the best interests of the child standard is met. This includes looking at child age, educational needs, medical needs, and the standard of living the child experienced during the
marriage.
Parental income will also be considered to ensure the parent can afford child support. The parent receiving child support will have their income assessed to figure out whether there is a genuine need for financial support. This process is used, along with the consideration of the child’s needs, to calculate how much child support should be paid each month.
Depending on the child’s age, the child’s financial resources may also be looked at. A noncustodial parent who does not have may be ordered to pay for future dental or medical bills, religious or private school expenses, and vacation costs.
Factors That Can Affect Child Support
Some factors can orders after they have already been finalized by the court. Calculating the costs of these child support orders depends highly on the situation that demanded an update to the original court order. Common examples of these situations are altered custody arrangements, job changes, health conditions in the parent or child, and incarceration of the parent.
This is why calculating child support has no simple answer. There are dozens of factors that go into deciding on child support and updating the amount paid. A child could be diagnosed with cancer and could need an increase in child support payments to cover medical expenses. The parent caring for the child could lose her job and require additional child support to cover basic living costs.
Courts usually have strict standards for updating child support court orders. You will need to file a motion to modify the court order and must have a sufficient reason to do so. Talking to a lawyer about building a strong argument in your favor can help with this process.
