How is child support calculated? Well for cases where the marital income is up to about $175,000 net which probably brings us to about 250 gross, child support’s calculated based on a formula called the child support guidelines.

Most cases are covered by the child support guidelines, exceptions are cases where there is unreported income, income from other sources or other benefits which are not recorded as income. But basically if the parties have income up to 250 you really are looking at a guideline’s calculation.

The guidelines were developed over a period of time with lawyers and economic experts that have estimated the costs of raising children and really dividing it into two discrete areas. One are shelter costs and the other are more discretionary costs. And there is a number that is the proper child support at various incomes. The guidelines take both parties’ income and if there is alimony, the alimony is deducted from the payer’s income and put in the payee’s income and taxes are then taken out.

And there is a number that results and for each of those numbers there’s a guidelines number. The obligation is then shared in the same proportion as each parties’ income bears to their combined income. And it’s essentially a figure that’s etched in stone unless you can explain why the guidelines shouldn’t be applicable.