Child support could be crucial for both parents. It can determine the child’s future after the divorce. Many parents do not know which factors are evaluated before child support is finalized. Not being aware of these factors can affect child support and lead one to an unfavorable outcome. The parents must contact family law Milwaukee to avoid any child support procedure complications.
While the court would decide the child support based on a set of factors, the parents can also post their wishes and demands for the child. These wishes would then be considered by the court and adjusted accordingly with the set of parameters. Below is a list of these factors and parameters that a court would evaluate before deciding on child support.
- Number of children
The number of children and their age plays a vital role in deciding child support. If more children are involved in a case, the non-custodial parent would be required to support the custodial parent financially.
Various parameters like the gross income of the non-custodial parent, tax evaluation and exemption, etc., would contribute to the court’s decision about child support. However, the parent can contact a family lawyer in Milwaukee to get an estimate idea about child support.
- Children’s needs
The most critical factor in a child support evaluation is the children’s needs. The court may evaluate this factor as a high priority since it directly affects the child and future. The needs of a child would be the first point of consideration.
The custodial parent’s income would also be accounted for to finalize the child support further. Children’s needs can range from their expenses related to education, medical care, and other miscellaneous costs.
- Former spouse’s income
The court would not imply either parent pays more child support than they can afford. Hence, your former spouse’s income would be evaluated before finalizing the child support. The spouse’s income would directly impact the child’s needs and affect the other parent’s financial situation.
The income does not only limit to the monthly salary a parent achieves. It can range from the workers’ compensation, investments, unemployment insurance, dividends, pensions, spousal maintenance from a previous marriage(if any), etc.
- Child custody arrangement
Child support is also affected by the amount of time spent with the child by each parent. Many parents assume that they can eliminate child support by applying for shared custody. Shared custody also requires child support.
In most cases, the parent whose earning capacity is higher than the other is considered the non-custodial parent. The non-custodial parent will stay the same even if the child stays half of the time with them.
