The last thing you are probably thinking about in the midst of divorce and splitting with your spouse, is how much you will have to pay each month in child support. Once everything is finalized and the reality sets in, there is no denying it. But how much will each parent be responsible for? How do you know what is expected of you? What is the best ways to calculate child support? Of course the judge has the final say in what is required from each parent. However, there are some online tools that can be helpful to you, especially so you aren’t blindsided with a monthly payment you weren’t expecting.
There are online child support payment calculators that can help you estimate your payment if you are the non-custodial parent. Again, the judge will determine the amount that you are required to pay, but in the meantime these calculators are a great tool to get a ballpark, and they will also help you gather all of the necessary information and paperwork that you need anyway.
The calculators will ask you the for the following information:
- Number of children and the percentage of time that they spend with you
- Tax information
- Monthly income/wages/salary
- Other income sources or public assistance
- Monthly deductions/expenses
- Health Insurance
- Cost of child support or alimony paid to prior spouse or children from another marriage
By entering in all of this information, the calculator will give you an estimate according to your state’s guidelines. Take this estimate, along with all necessary documentation and paperwork to your lawyer. They will confirm with a judge the exact requirements of each parent, so that it can be backed up by the court. Any questions should be directed to your lawyer. Each state has different guidelines and its important that nobody relies directly on the online support tools, as they are there simply to support and guide, not to be the law. Once you have an order from the court for each parent, you should go to SupportPay to set up online payments to make both of your lives easier, as well as to meet the needs of your child on a consistent basis.