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Child support is calculated according to state standards, and it is an important aspect of virtually every divorce case involving children. These calculations play a very important role in the primary custodial parent’s ability to continue adequately providing for their children into the future. When parents are no longer together, they are both required to support their children financially, and child support is the state’s tool for ensuring that this happens.
In Washington, child support is based directly on the parents’ combined earnings, and the state’s calculation process is applied from that starting point. Learn more about your rights and calculating child support in Seattle with the help of an experienced child support attorney near me at Twyford Law Office.
To calculate child support in Seattle and across the state, Washington uses the income shares model. The basic elements used to calculate support include the parents’ combined incomes and the number of children the child support order covers.
The percentage of the total income assigned to each parent helps determine the amount of child support they owe. Generally, parents who are high earners pay more child support. Conversely, parents who are lower earners tend to receive more substantial child support payments.
When one parent is assigned the primary custodial role, which means having the children the majority of the time, they are generally the one who receives child support. When Seattle parents split child custody evenly or relatively evenly, however, earnings are usually the deciding factor, with the higher earner often having to pay child support based on their income.
The child support calculation process for Seattle families involves several steps, and errors at any stage can result in an unfair support order. For this reason, you should always have a lawyer guiding child support calculations.
Calculating child support begins with determining each parent’s net income. This involves subtracting certain costs from each parent’s gross income, including:
The two parents’ net incomes are added together to obtain the combined monthly income for the child support calculation.
From here, Washington’s standard economic table for child support is applied, which determines the basic child support obligation. This amount reflects the parents’ combined net income and the number of children being supported. Child support can also address other expenses, such as the following:
Each parent’s percentage of the combined net income reflects the percentage of the calculated amount they are responsible for. For example, if the noncustodial parent earns 60 percent of the combined total, their child support obligation will be 60 percent of the total child support amount.
A primary custodial parent fulfills their child support obligation by providing the children with their principal home. If the parents divide their parenting time evenly, the parent who earns more is generally required to make the child support payments.
When a factor or circumstance that affects justice and equity for the children applies, courts will deviate from the state guidelines. Prime examples include when there is a substantial difference between parents’ earning power and when a child has a significant disability that requires greater financial support.
Deviations may also occur when:
Calculating child support in Seattle is an important financial matter that can make a serious difference to your and your child’s future. You need a dedicated child support attorney near me; and, at Twyford Law Office, we care about you and your case. Our wealth of experience reflects our commitment to our clients, so please contact us online or give our firm a call today.
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