When parents in California divorce, one of the most important decisions they will need to make is how to support their children. Child support is often a contentious issue, and there are a lot of factors that go into calculating it. Let’s look at some of the things the court considers when determining child support payments.
1. The income of the parents
The court will look at both parents’ income and decide how much each should contribute to supporting their children. In some cases, one parent may have a higher income than the other hence the court may order them to pay a larger portion of the child support.
2. The number of children
Generally speaking, the more children there are, the higher the child support payments will be. This is because it costs more to support multiple children than just one.
3. The age of the children
The court could order the parents to pay less money for child support if the children are older. This is because younger children tend to require more care and expenses than older children.
4. Custody arrangements
If one parent has sole physical custody of the children, they will likely receive more child support from the other parent than if they share joint child custody. This is because the custodial parent generally incurs more costs in taking care of the children on their own.
5. Health insurance and daycare costs
In addition to basic monthly child support payments, parents may also be responsible for other costs related to their children, such as health insurance and daycare. These costs will be taken into consideration when calculating child support payments.
The court will always come up with an amount you can afford to pay that also caters to the basic needs that your child requires. Ensure always to pay child support on time and avoid defaulting. This is because, in California, you can spend up to five years in prison and pay fines of up to $1,000 for failing to meet your commitment.