It is important in the United States that child support amounts are consistent and predictable and to ensure this the federal government have established quite strict guidelines that must be followed when establishing the amount of child support in Pottstown, PA that is payable. The federal government guidelines include a host of factors:
* Income: The guidelines take into account the income of both the mother and the father of the children. It is the percentage of the combined incomes that helps in the determination of which parent pays so much. There are some differences based on jurisdiction, in some cases net income is used while in other cases the child support amount is based on gross income.
* Deductions: If a parent is already paying child support from a previous situation, this amount is usually deducted from their income for purposes of determining the child support amount for the case in question. To claim this deduction the payments must actually be made and the payments must be court ordered, not voluntary.
* Childcare expenses: The amount of money that must be paid out for childcare in order that the custodial parent can work is taken into consideration. In most cases the amount allowed is adjusted to account for the care exemption available on state and federal taxes.
* Healthcare expenses: The order for child support in Pottstown, PA must state who is responsible for paying for health insurance for the child or children. The amount of the insurance premium is added to the basic order and the same amount is credited to the parent who takes the obligation. In some cases the court will award an additional amount that will take care of routine, out-of-pocket medical expenses that often occur and are not covered by insurance.
* Other expenses: Although the basic child care order covers the bulk of a child’s needs such as clothing, education, food, etc there are cases where the court will consider additional support for children with special needs, either gifted children or handicapped. The out-of-pocket costs of travel for visitation are normally simply divided between the parents in direct proportion to their respective incomes. The non-custodial parent will be credited for the amount of the expense that will be borne by the custodial parent.
There is a presumption that the award of child support in Pottstown, PA has been calculated in accordance with the federal guidelines, however, in certain cases it is possible to get a higher or lower amount by judicial determination.
The law is very aware of the necessity for child support in Pottstown, PA. Your divorce lawyer can help you establish the anticipated award using the acceptable guidelines. You are welcome to discuss all the ramifications with David T. Schnarrs, Attorney at Law.
