Guaranteeing that your child or children are properly taken care of during and after a divorce is of your utmost concern. Because of this, it is extremely important that matters of child support are handled correctly in order to guarantee that your children are affected as little as possible. You are also going to want to have peace of mind that they are able to maintain the highest level of happiness that you wish for them after the divorce has been finalized.

If an agreed amount cannot be reached by both parents, a California divorce attorney can aid you and your spouse in determining that the number is calculated properly. While there is a complex formula and an advanced program used to calculate child support, there are two primary aspects that hold precedence when deciding the outcome that you should be aware of.

Factors in Determining Child Support

While child care expenses, home mortgage payments, and tax filing status influence the amount of child support to be paid, the simplest factor that the courts will take into account is the income of both the custodial and non custodial parents. The income can come from all sources including:

• Wages, Tips, Commissions, Bonuses
• Self-Employment earnings, Unemployment benefits, Disability and worker’s compensation
• Interest, Dividends, Rental income, Social Security or pensions

The next issue that factors into calculating the amount of child support is what is commonly known as the “J Factor.” To calculate this, the judge will look at just how much time each parent spends with the child or children. This amount is then put into a complex formula that is used to calculate child support.

Keep in mind that the matter of child support is highly governed by the law. All California judges follow the same formula and guidelines. A skilled California divorce attorney will be your best option to make sure that all the information is correct and properly reported.

Make Sure Your Children Come First

As you can see, child support is a very complex matter that deserves your careful attention. You are going to need an experienced California divorce family law attorney to help get the results that you need and to guarantee that your children maintain the lifestyle that they are accustomed to.