6 Factors That Impact Child Support Orders in North Carolina| Allan Brandon Tise PLLC, Attorney at Law
April 10, 2022
Child support is a legal framework that prioritizes the best interests of the children involved in a divorce to ensure they have proper support from both parents.
To make sure each child's living expenses are covered no matter where they spend the night, each state has developed a formula to establish a minimum financial responsibility for each parent. In the state of North Carolina, the courts look at the following factors to determine a fair order.
1. Gross Income
A significant factor in child support determination is how much both parents earn before taxes and other fees come off their paychecks, otherwise known as their gross income. With child support, the court considers all sources of income. This includes any bonuses, commissions, alimony, gifts, shareholder dividends, or additional rental or investment income.
2. Number of Children
Because the cost of raising a single child is already significant, child support orders increase if multiple children are involved in a divorce. This is to ensure that each child's basic necessities, such as their food, clothing, mortgage or rent payments, utilities, and medical care, are covered.
3. Custody and Visitation
Whether one parent owes child support to the other or vice versa will depend largely on their custody and visitation schedule. Parents with primary custody, or custodial parents are entitled to child support from non-custodial parent in most instances.
However, in situations with split or joint custody, support is affected by how much time the children spend with each parent. In general, the household with a lower income will receive support from the other household, but the courts set forth a final judgment after it considers other factors that may impact the amount of support one or both parents pay.
4. Health Insurance
A divorce decree or child support order may also require one parent to maintain healthcare coverage for the children, especially if an employer offers the coverage. In this case, the courts consider the cost of health insurance as a form of child support, which may impact the considered totals during calculation.
5. Childcare Expenses
States set their own guidelines as to what expenses are necessary for a child's wellbeing, and Carolina includes childcare, medical premiums visitation travel costs, and after-school teams or activities in these calculations.
The courts will determine a set figure for parents to adhere to on a monthly basis.
The courts will determine a set figure for parents to adhere to on a monthly basis.
6. Evolving Needs
Children's needs change over time, as do the needs and circumstances of each parent. Child support orders are not set in stone and are modifiable if either household experiences a significant change in circumstances which would result in a 15% or greater change to the existing child support obligation.
For help with a support order, the law offices of Allan Brandon Tise PLLC, Attorney at Law , are available to ensure an order is fair and just so the children in each household receive as much financial support as they deserve.
For help with a support order, the law offices of Allan Brandon Tise PLLC, Attorney at Law , are available to ensure an order is fair and just so the children in each household receive as much financial support as they deserve.
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