Child support is a court-ordered payment that one parent may be required to make to the other after a divorce or legal separation in Los Angeles. Child support amounts are not chosen at random. They are carefully calculated using legal guidelines specific to California. The best way to get an accurate idea of what child support might look like in your case is by consulting with a child support lawyer in Los Angeles.
What Is Child Support?
Any family law case involving children may result in a child support award. This type of order may be made by the court if it deems it necessary to meet a child’s care needs and ensure the child is financially supported. The courts believe that when parents get divorced or legally separated, it should not negatively affect the child’s financial situation. The goal of child support is to keep a child’s standard of living the same as it was.
How Are Child Support Amounts Determined?
A fair child support amount will be determined by the courts using the California child support guideline calculator. The formula used is CS=K (HN-(H%)(TN)). If there is more than one child, the CS value will be multiplied by a factor that is determined by the number of children. Two children is given a multiplier of 1.6, three children is given a multiplier of 2.0, and so on.
The legend for the equation is as follows:
- CS: child support amount
- K: combined total income of both parents
- HN: the higher-earning parent’s net monthly disposable income
- H: the amount of parenting time assigned to the higher-earning parent
- TN: the combined total net monthly disposable income of both parents
To calculate child support, the combined monthly disposable income of both parents is multiplied by the custody percentage of the higher-earning spouse. This number is then subtracted from the higher earner’s net monthly income and then multiplied by the combined total income of both parents for the final amount.
Child Support Payments in Unique Situations
The California family courts may deviate from the general child support calculation guidelines when it is deemed necessary to protect a child’s best interests. If the couple comes to a mutual agreement that is different from the amount assigned by the courts, for example, a judge may sign off on the proposed amount if it is fair and appropriate.
Other situations that may affect a child support decision include a special needs child, parents who have contributed unequally to the child’s needs and a disparity in housing costs between both spouses.
Who Has to Pay Child Support in California?
Child support is meant to ensure that both parents share financial responsibility for a child. As a general rule, the parent required to pay child support in California will be the one who earns more income or has less custody time with the child.
In a shared custody agreement, the parent with primary or sole custody is assumed to be covering more of the child’s daily expenses. For this reason, the custodial parent will typically become the recipient of child support payments after a divorce or separation is finalized.
If both parents share equal custody, however, the higher-earning spouse may have to pay the lower earner child support. This is to supplement the lower-earning parent’s income and ensure the child is properly supported financially.
For assistance with a specific child support order in Los Angeles, contact Boyd Law for a consultation with a knowledgeable child support attorney.
