How to Calculate Child Support in a California Divorce

One of the most important questions parents face when considering separation or divorce is how to calculate child support in a California divorce.  The information provided by the California Courts and summarized in this article is a good place to start in informing yourself on the process.  Go to https://www.familieschange.ca.gov/en/parents/how-do-we-calculate-amount-child-support

 

  • California Child Support Calculator

 

California law requires courts to adhere to statewide uniform guidelines in setting child support orders. The Payment Estimator applies the statewide uniform guideline calculation to the information that you enter into the blank fields. 

https://childsupport.ca.gov/guideline-calculator/

 

 

  • Calculate Annual Income.  

 

The court bases child support on a parent’s “net disposable income.” This means the parent’s income after state and federal taxes and other required deductions. The court may order support based in part on bonuses, commissions, overtime, and other supplemental or non-wage income if the court determines that this income occurs regularly.  Certain income is NOT counted when determining a child support obligation, for example SSI (Supplemental Security Income).  

 

 

  •  The Amount of Time.

 

There is a wide variety of time share arrangements which have consequences for how child support is calculated.  If the children live with one parent most of the time, then the parent who has the children predominantly will typically receive child support.  However, that isn’t always the case  There are situations where the parent who has the children most of the time will still have to pay the other parent support.  An example of this is where one parent has a much larger income than the other parent.

 

 

  •  Health Insurance

 

 

Medical support is related to child support because Federal and California State Law requires that every child support order include an order for medical support, meaning that the court will order either or both parents to provide health insurance for the child as long as it is available for reasonable cost.  If you do not think you can afford the medical support order, you can file a request to ask the court to modify or terminate the order. 

 

Consult with the Law Office of David Knecht

For a consult with a knowledgeable and professional attorney about your questions relating to child support or any other family law issue, the attorneys at the Law Office of David Knecht, have extensive experience in family law.  Contact us at 707-451-4502 for more information.