Basic Child Support Information for California Residents
In California and in every other state, both parents have a legal responsibility to provide for their child or children financially. Courts usually order the noncustodial parent to pay child support to help cover the child’s living costs and medical expenses. In some cases both parents may be required to pay child support. The periodic payments each parent makes for a child is called child support.
To request a child support case to be opened, the parent wishing to open the case would need to contact their local child support agency that is located within their county. Usually the agency requires an application to be filled out prior to any help with their offered services.
California agencies provide support and help for getting child support for parents, caretakers, or guardians, of minor children. These services are available regardless of income or marital status; although the agency could recommend the parent seek legal advice after reviewing the application submitted.
California has set laws and guidelines that it must follow in determining the amount of child support. The child support guidelines are based on a parent’s monthly income and the child support is also based on the amount of time the child or children spend with each parent. To determine child support, income is figured from all sources even if it is not reported or taxed under the federal law.
Usually income is in the form of money, but other sources of income can include, but are not limited to:
v Property
v Tips, Commissions, bonuses, etc.
v Self-Employment
v Unemployment Benefits
v Disability and/or Worker’s Compensation
v Renal Income
v Social Security or Pensions
Various other types of income can be considered in determining child support as well.
The court determining the child support deducts certain payments from both parent’s monthly gross income to determine the net disposable income.
The deductions can include, but are not limited to:
v Taxes
v Mandatory Retirement Contributions
v Mandatory Union Dues
v Health Premiums
v Spousal or Child Support Actually Being Paid
v Costs of Raising Children in Another Relationship
This all breaks down to determining what is ultimately left over from each parents gorss income and how much parenting time each parent contributes to their child or children. After all of this has been determined a child support payment schedule will be assigned to the parent or both parents by the court.