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Child support is the
amount of money that the court orders one parent to pay the other parent
every month for the support of the child(ren). California has a formula
(called a "guideline") for figuring out how much child support should be
paid in all cases.
If parents can't agree
on child support, the judge will decide the child support amount based on
the guideline calculation.
The guideline
calculation depends on:
•How much money the parents earn or can
earn,
•How much other income each parent receives,
•How many children these parents have
together,
•How much time each parent spends with their
children,
•The actual tax filing status of each
parent,
•Support of children from other
relationships,
•Health insurance expenses,
•Mandatory union dues,
•Mandatory retirement contributions,
•The cost of sharing daycare and uninsured
health-care costs, and
•Other factors.
Child support can also
include the cost of special needs like:
•Traveling for visitation from 1 parent to
another,
•Educational expenses, and
•Other special needs.
Child support payments
are usually made until children turn 18, or 19 if they are still in high
school full time, living at home, and can't support themselves. Parents may
agree to support a child longer. The court may also order that both parents
continue to support a disabled adult child that is not self-supporting.
You can ask the judge
to make a child support order when you:
•Get a divorce, legal separation, or
annulment;
•Establish parentage; or
•Get a domestic violence restraining order.
Parents who
•Have signed a voluntary declaration of
paternity, OR
•Are married, or are registered domestic
partners, and don't want to get legally
separated or divorced can also ask for a
child support order when they file a
Petition for Custody and Support of Minor
Children
Either parent can
later ask the judge to change the amount if the situation changes.
Parents
can also ask the judge for help collecting (enforcing) a support order.
Contact Information:
Telephone (310) 365-2800
E-mail
PremierLegalDocs@aol.com
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