The court may also appoint separate attorneys for children who are the subject of a custody dispute. Question: What are the child support guidelines?
California has a child support guideline that is used in all cases to determine the proper amount of child support. The factors that should be considered are the income of the parents and the amount of time they have responsibility for taking care of the children. In addition to the basic amount of child support, the guideline provides that parents share the costs of daycare necessary for the parents to work and non-reimbursed medical expenses. Child support may also include expenses to meet special needs, such as tutors and transportation to visits with each parent. Both parents will be ordered to keep their child covered by medical insurance if it is available at no cost or at reasonable cost to both parents. Parents who are divorcing or separating may agree on the child support plan, but a judge must approve the amount of child support payments. When parents cannot agree on child support, the judge decides what the payment amount will be. Either parent may later ask the judge to cha
