What income sources can be used to determine child support?
If parents don’t see eye to eye, any topic regarding their children can be stressful to discuss. One common point of contention is the topic of child support. Sometimes, the paying parent may feel he or she is being required to pay an unfairly excessive amount. But the amount arrived at by the court is typically contingent upon a person’s assets and perceived ability to pay.
Along with salaries and wages, the following income sources can be used to determine how much child support a parent will pay monthly:
- Veteran’s benefits.
- Social Security benefits.
- Pension.
- Investments.
Many may be under the impression that the amount of child support they pay will depend completely upon what they are making from their job, but this is not true. Some people may have income from various sources and all of them may be used to determine the monthly payment amount. It may not seem fair, but because the child may require a certain amount of money to make sure they are properly cared for and the parent is able to afford it, the courts may disagree with what the parent feels.
Just because parents are not together, doesn’t mean that they should not contribute to their child’s life financially. As children grow, their needs change, so both parents will need to take part in caring for them whether they are the custodial parent or the noncustodial parent. Any parent who is facing difficulties with child support should consider speaking to an attorney, as they may be able to help.
