Issues with Child Support in Joint Custody

The joint custody child support formula that a court will use to determine the amount of child support that you have to pay will depend on a variety of factors. The main factor is which parent has custody of the child. Typically, the non-custodial parent is the one that will be paying child support. However, in some states, a child may spend as little as a third of his or her time with one parent, and the rest with the other parent. In other states, this is generally supposed to be much closer to half of the time for each. Joint custody equal child support payments are often based on the exact distribution of time that the child spends with each parent.

Calculating Child Support

To calculate equal child support payments, the law generally takes into consideration the following factors:

Each parent’s income, including wages and assets, such as stock and bonds
The standard of living of the child before the divorce
The needs of the children and including any special needs they may have
The number of children being supported by the parents

The court may order a joint custody payment schedule if the parents cannot agree on what constitutes equal child support payments.

Getting Legal Advice and How Lawyers Can Help

If you have joint custody of your children and are having a difficult time calculating a fair joint custody child support formula, you may want to consult with an attorney who specializes in child support law.

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