Child Support

The courts are required to base child support orders on several core principals, which include:

• A parent’s first and principal obligation is to support his or her minor children according to the parent’s circumstances and station in life.

• Both parents are mutually responsible for the support of their children.

• The calculation of the amount of child support takes into account each parent’s actual income and level of responsibility for the children.

• Each parent should pay for the support of children according to his or her ability.

• Children should share in the standard of living of both parents.

• It is presumed that a parent having primary physical responsibility for the children contributes a significant portion of available resources for support of the children.

California Statewide Uniform
Guideline for Child Support

Child support is determined by the California Statewide Uniform Guideline for Child Support. This guideline establishes the amount of support that must be paid from one parent to the other. The amount to be paid is calculated mainly on the parents’ relative adjusted gross income, the amount of time each parent spends with the children and the number of children.  Other factors may be considered also, such as amounts paid for child care and uninsured health care costs for the children.

The court may deviate from the calculation for guideline child support only in the special circumstances set forth in the Guideline.  The judge may deviate from the Guideline when it is determined that application of the guideline formula would be unjust or inappropriate.  For example, the court may take into account the parents have different time-sharing arrangements for different children, that one parent has a much higher or lower percentage of income used for housing than the other parent, or that the children have special needs that require child support to be higher than guideline support.

Unmarried Parents and Child Support

Know Your Rights. Talk With A Lawyer.
Get Professional Child Support Help Today

Claudia Silverman helps parents in California who need assistance with child support issues. We exclusively practice family law, so we have numerous cases involving child support under our belts. We will work closely with you to create a parenting plan that suits you and your children’s best interests.