What factors are taken into account in calculating child support?
The child support calculation formula usually takes into account the net incomes of the parents. Federal and state income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes, health insurance payments, union dues, and other mandatory expenses are typically deducted from the gross income of the parents before calculating the child support amount. In many cases, parents may have to present evidence regarding their income, including pay statements, profit/loss statements of sole proprietorships, or tax returns. This evidence prevents one party from hiding income which should be included to properly calculate child support. In addition to the net income of the parents, the child support formula takes into account other factors, such as the amount of time a child spends or lives with each parent, the number of children, and special medical or educational expenses. Determining the amount of child support can be very complex, and the child support calculation formula varies from state to state. As a re