Deviating From Washington’s Child Support Guidelines

Posted On January 30, 2024 Child Support

Public policy in Washington is that children should benefit from both parents’ financial support even if their parents are no longer together romantically. In many cases, child support is paid by one parent to the other. There are general rules for how much support is ordered, but there are some instances when the court can deviate from these guidelines. An experienced child support attorney can review your particular case and explain whether it might be possible to deviate from Washington’s child support guidelines.

How Is Child Support Determined In Washington?

The court generally adheres to the Washington child support schedule when it determines an appropriate amount of child support to award in a case. Courts use a formula to determine the base amount of child support. They plug in various pieces of information to determine how much support to award. It makes this process easier by providing a calculator for this purpose. The amount of child support is anywhere between $200 and $3,500 per month in most cases. Child support is supposed to provide for the basic, recurring expenses associated with raising a child, including payment for housing, food, and clothing. The formula applies throughout the state, so there are no differences from one city to another.

Factors Considered In Washington Child Support Guidelines

The primary factors that are considered when determining child support awards are:

The number of children and their ages
Each parents income
Childcare expenses necessary for the parents to work
Education expenses
Special child-rearing expenses
Long-distance transportation expenses
Spousal support paid or received
Cost of medical insurance
Uninsured medical expenses for the child
The child’s living arrangements
Any Social Security benefits the child receives

One of the most important factors in determining child support is the income of each parent. Information that goes into the calculation related to income includes:

Wages and salaries
Interest and dividend income
Business income
Maintenance received
Other income

In some situations, one parent is underemployed or unemployed. In these situations, the court may determine the amount of income the parent should be receiving and impute that income to them. After all relevant information is included in the Washington child support worksheets, a standard transfer payment is calculated. This represents the payment the non-custodial parent pays the custodial parent each month.

When Deviation from the Child Support Guidelines Is Possible

The child support guidelines provide a rebuttable presumption that the amount calculated is appropriate. However, there are situations when the court may deviate from this amount. The court may deviate from the child support guidelines for the following reasons:

Additional expenses – Sometimes, the child support worksheets do not take into consideration costs that are unique to the child, such as if the child has special needs or high medical expenses.
Substantial visitation – The court may order less child support if the non-custodial parent has substantial visitation with the child, which is generally more than 90 overnight visits in a year. This deviation is often based on the incomes of the parents and only ordered when the custodial parent has sufficient income to support their household if they receive less child support.
Little visitation – More child support might be ordered if the noncustodial parent has little or no visitation time with the child.
Other children – The amount of child support can also be affected if the non-custodial parent has more children in a different relationship.

Courts will assume the standard transfer payment is an appropriate amount of support. Therefore, the parent wanting to deviate from the child support guidelines will need to provide a compelling argument and substantial evidence to do so. An experienced child support lawyer can help.

Child Support Modifications

In some cases, circumstances may change that justify modifying the amount of child support to be paid. To obtain a child support modification, the parent wanting to make the change must petition the court and prove that there has been a qualifying change in circumstances. Possible reasons for modification of child support in Washington include:

Getting fired or demoted
Being promoted or a new job
Retirement or disability of one of the parents
Disability of the child
Becoming financially responsible for children from other relationships
The child being accepted into college

If you believe you may have grounds for a modification, contact a skilled child support lawyer for help.

A Family Law Attorney Can Help You Navigate Deviations from the Child Support Guidelines

A family law attorney can guide you through the process of child support calculations, deviations, or modifications. Understanding when it might be appropriate to deviate from Washington’s child support guidelines can help you be further prepared to act in your child’s best interest.

Contact the Washington Child Support Lawyers at Twyford Law Office To Get Legal Assistance Today At (206) 590-7085

To learn more and get the help you deserve, call our child support lawyers or reach out to Twyford Law Office online by visiting our contact us page.

We serve in King County and Spokane County in Washington and its surrounding areas. You can also visit our offices. We are conveniently located in Seattle, Spokane & Bellevue:

Twyford Law Office – Seattle Office
814 Second Avenue, Suite 515,
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 590-7085

Twyford Law Office – Spokane Office
430 W Indiana Ave,
Spokane, WA 99205.
(509) 327 0777

Twyford Law Office – Bellevue Office
1408 140th Pl NE Suite 400,
Bellevue, WA 98007
(425) 517-3350