Child support is sometimes a contentious issue because one parent is left to pay a large bill each month. If they have more than one child, the amount they pay can add up to a fairly high percentage of their take-home income.
For some people, trying to live comfortably and pay child support at the same time is difficult. Parents are often asked to support their child in their own home, through child support and then to take care of themselves on top of it all. It can be hard, but it’s possible if the calculations are done accurately.
As a parent who is facing a substantial child support bill, you may find that you don’t think the amount you owe is fair. Remember, if you and your spouse can agree on a support amount outside court, you may be able to minimize what you owe each month. If you can’t, then the court is going to apply its guidelines to come up with what the judge believes is a fair amount. If you do manage to come up with your own agreement, remember that it does need to be fair since the court will need to approve it.
Child support is meant to be there to provide for your child so that they live comfortably as if they have both parents providing an income in a single home. That may cause some financial stress, depending on your situation, but if it feels overwhelming, your attorney may be able to talk to you about options for modifying what you owe based on your income and other factors.