Going through the divorce process can be complicated and overwhelming, especially when children are involved in the separation. Child support is one of the most important topics to cover in the settlement. Children deserve financial support from both parents, even after their families have separated.
Ohio, like many other states in the nation, follows an income shares model when determining child support. This model calculates child support based off of the idea that children should have access to the same amount of money that they would have had if their parents had stayed together. Both parents income is taken into consideration when measuring the child support. Once both parents’ income is configured, a table is used to determine how much support the non-custodial parent owes based off of the number of children involved.
In addition to the basic child support amount, there are other expenses that may be calculated in. These include the following:
Medical expenses, such as dental, psychological and optical services
Child care expenses
Educational expenses, such as tuition, books and other costs
Extracurricular activities
Furthermore, there are factors that could influence the amount set in the divorce decree. These may include the current job status of each parent, as well as the health, age and education of each parent. The judge may take into consideration whether one parent stayed at home and raised the children rather than pursued a career of their own. Keep in mind that child support amounts can be modified if a dramatic life change occurs.