If you are going through a divorce, you may find yourself wondering how does child support work in California? In this article, we will explain California’s child support laws and help you to understand the complex process.
How Does Child Support Work in California: What Is Child Support?
So, how does child support work in California? Child support is a payment made to a parent in order to ensure the child has sufficient financial support for their care. In California, one or both parents may be required to pay child support in order to maintain the child. The court will take into account things like:
- How many children the couple share
- The financial situation of both parents
- The custody arrangement
How Does Child Support Work in California: Duration
In California, child support payments will continue until one of the following happens:
- Turns 19
- Turns 18 and has graduated high school
- The child becomes emancipated
- The child joins the military
- The child dies
- The child gets married
In some cases, the court will order parents to continue paying child support for a child who is unable to care for themselves as an adult because of disability.
How Does Child Support Work in California: Calculating Child Support
When people wonder how does child support work in California, they often wonder how much child support they may have to pay. California is a “percentage of income state,” meaning that the court will calculate child support payments as a percentage of the parent’s income. Often the non-custodial parent will pay child support to the parent with majority custody.
The court will take into account the parent’s financial situation and may lower the child support payments or temporarily stop them if they are unemployed or will be unable to make child support payments.
There is no set formula to calculate the amount of child support a parent pays. But the court will look at each parent’s disposable income. This is their entire income, including bonuses, commission, and tips. All income sources will be taken into account, including government benefits. The court will take into account the spousal support and other payments that the custodial parent receives.
The court will take into account if the non-custodial parent is raising children from another relationship in order to not financially disadvantage those children. The child support percentage will be calculated based on how many children the child support payments are for. It will also be reduced by the amount of time the non-custodial parent has the child or children for. The court assumes that while the child is with the non-custodial parent, that they will pay for any expenses that come up while the child is in their custody.
How Does Child Support Work in California: What Does Child Support Cover?
Child support is intended to ensure the child receives the same level of financial support as they would have if the parents stayed together. It covers basic education, housing, food, health insurance, clothing, and other essentials. Depending on the circumstances, the judge may take into account extracurricular activities, medical bills, child care, and visitation travel costs
How does child support work in California? If we have not answered all of your questions, please contact us for a consultation about child support. We can help you determine if you are paying too much child support. Read more about how does child support work in California.