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Understanding Child Support in California
If you’re a parent seeking child support, your support will be based on your child’s best interests. Child support is paid in periodic payments, but how long you can receive payments varies. Here’s what you should consider.
How California Calculates Support Payments
In California, child support is calculated depending on how much they deem it necessary for your child’s living expenses, such as daycare, food, or healthcare, to be covered.
The court will calculate how much should be paid using a guideline that depends on the following:
- Health insurance expenses.
- Both parent’s incomes.
- How many children do you have?
- Amount of time both parents spend with the children.
- Daycare costs.
- Uninsured healthcare costs.
There are other factors a court will use to calculate how much support you can ask for using the guideline. Sometimes, the court can order a different amount to be paid outside of the calculations. An attorney can explain what factors will potentially affect your case and how much support you can receive.
How Long Do You Pay Child Support in California?
In California, child support payments are expected to continue until a child turns 18 and continue until the child graduates or turns 19, whichever comes first.
After your separation or divorce, child support starts once the court makes an order for support. You must ask the court to establish paternity and ask to make an order for child support.
In contrast, depending on your situation, your child support could end before your child reaches the age of 18. Reasons to terminate child support include:
- Your child is legally emancipated.
- Enter active duty military once emancipated.
- Gets married after emancipation.
Modifying Your Child Support Order
At Sullivan Law & Associates, we can help you request changes to your support order. We understand that family circumstances change and are here to do the heavy lifting for you.
Contact us today at (949) 565-2793 to schedule a consultation about modifying your custody agreement.
