How is child support determined during a divorce?

If you are going through the process of getting a divorce from your spouse, and you have children that are involved in the divorce, you will probably have a lot of questions about who the custodial parent will be, and who the non-custodial parent will be.  Determining the custodial and non-custodial parent is the first step to determining child support.  So, how is child support typically determined, and who will pay the child support and who will receive the child support?

• Child support is determined by figuring out who the custodial parent will be – the custodial parent is the recipient of the child support, because the custodial parent is the parent with whom the children primarily live.  
• After determining custody, child support is typically established by determining how much money each person makes, and applying that to a formula that involves the number of children, the expenses each individual has, and the amount of money that each makes.  
• After that, the court will award a child support payment based on the formula’s results.  
• Each state’s formula is slightly different, but they all take the same basic factors into account – each former spouse’s income, the expenses involved with the custody of the children, and the number of children.

A lawyer can help you to deal with any issues regarding child support that may come up. By working with a lawyer, you can ensure your legal rights are protected and that a decision is made in your best interests and the best interests of the child.