Things You'll Need:
- Internet (to download state child support tables)
- Payer Information
- Child Information
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Step 1
TURN TO THE STATE
If you want consistently reliable information, you must get you child support tables directly from the state making the determination. To do this, simply perform a search for the words ‘child support tables’ and the name of the relevant state. In the search result, make sure the site hosting the information is a government website, which is usually indicated by ‘.gov’ at the end of the URL or address. These tables are usually provided in PDF format which can be downloaded to your computer. -
Step 2
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT
Most states provide tables and guidelines reflecting the child support payer’s income, the number of children and their ages. If the payer has no children outside the household seeking support, finding the payment estimate is as simple as following the chart to the appropriate income/child profile total. If the payer has children to support in separate households, proceed to the next step. -
Step 3
CHOOSE THE CORRECT NUMBER OF CHILDREN
This is fairly simple if the all children supported by the payer live in a single household. When the payer has children in more than one household, it can become confusing. In using the child support table, choose the number of children living in the relevant household who are the legal responsibility (through biological paternity or adoption) of the payer. Exclude children that do not live in the same household or children within the household who are not the legal responsibility of the payer. -
Step 4
CHOOSE THE CORRECT INCOME
The child support guidelines generally apply to gross income. In cases of self-employment, however, net income (not including income tax deduction), may be considered. This standard varies by state. Self employed child support payers should refer to their local child support agency for exact guidelines.
When a payer has more than one household of children to support, as is the case when a payer has children with multiple partners, a few changes must be made in order for the child support table to provide more accurate results. Most states follow a simple rule about multiple families in child support: first families first.
The ‘first families first’ standard dictates that the first household created by the child support payer has the greatest right to the payer’s income. No matter how many children a payer creates with subsequent partners, the children created with the first partner are always entitled to the greatest share of the supporter’s income. This means that support for the first household can generally be estimated correctly using the state’s child support tables without modification. However, each subsequent household would modify the ‘income’ of the payer by reducing the payer’s income by the total amount of support paid to the households created before.
Example:
Payer income: $50,000
CS paid to first family: $25,000 (as indicated by chart without modification)
CS Paid to second family: $12,000 (as indicated by chart, modified to reflect 1st family obligation)
The income of the payer has been reduced from $50,000 to $25,000 to find support obligation.
CS Paid to third family: $6,000 (as indicated by chart, modified to reflect 1st and 2nd family obligation.
The income of the payer has been reduced from $50,000 to $13,000 to find support obligation.
NOTE: ‘First families first’ applies in most states, but not all. Your state will be able to tell you if the rule applies. Even when the rule applies, special circumstances, such as a disabled child in a subsequent household, can result in exceptions to divert more funds away from pre-existing families to the family with greater need. -
Step 5
PLANNING AHEAD (if applicable)
The next step is to use the child support tables to plan ahead. A significant increase in payer income (commonly 30%) can result in changes to child support obligations. Also, after a period of time (commonly 3 years) the custodial parent may request to have child support reexamined to reflect even minor changes in income.
When planning an increase of income, refer to the child support table to see if a change in support obligation will actually result in a loss of take-home for the payer. Also, when a petition to reexamine child support has been submitted by the payee, the potential changes can be found in the table by using the payer’s current income and new ages of supported children within the relevant household. -
Step 6
KNOW WHAT DOESN’T COUNT
There are certain circumstances and changes that will have no impact on a child support determination. It is important, for the sake of accuracy, that these matters not be considered by either the payer or payee when using child support tables.
1. Payee’s Unshared Children - Child support will not be changed due to the addition of household children that are not biologically or legally (as through adoption) shared with the payer. If the payee has 30 children with another partner, only the children she shares with the payer have rights to support. The addition or subtraction of unshared children is not considered.
2. Payer’s Subsequent Children - Children born to the payer, outside the relevant household, after children born within the relevant household will generally not result in a change of child support award. Though the payer will be obligated to support the subsequent children, the payer’s income will be modified to reflect the payment due to the ‘first family’. This rule applies in most, but not all states. This rule may not apply when subsequent children are disabled or have special needs (though a court must make that determination).
3. Increase in less than 30% payer income - If the payer’s income is increased, that increase is usually not considered unless the increase is equivalent to 30% or more of the payer’s gross income.
Comments
kluke82 said
on 10/3/2009 Very informative and well written article on child support tables! 5*s