On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in support on Thursday, August 8, 2019.
Child support are court-ordered payments one parent is required to pay to the child’s other parent, who the parent is no longer in a relationship with, for the financial support of their children. Child support can also be one of the primary concerns facing divorcing and unmarried parents that the family law court can help them resolve.
Child support is determined in Missouri according to a formula that can be complex at times. There is a child support schedule that is used, however, each child support situation is different and the court will take certain factors into account. The minimum amount of child support that will be set is $50. For every additional $50 in combined adjusted gross income of the parents, the child support payment increases.
Sources of income that are considered when calculating the gross income of the parents includes: salaries; wages; commissions; dividends; retirement income; pensions; annuities; interest; trust income; severance pay; partnership distributions; rental and royalty income; Social Security benefits; disability insurance benefits; veterans’ disability benefits; worker’s compensation benefits; unemployment compensation; military allowances; and can also include some other types of income as well.
Both parents are responsible for the support of the child based on the existence of certain circumstances, which are helpful for parents to be familiar with. Child support can be used for basic needs including food, clothing, housing, transportation and health care. Noncustodial parents may also be responsible for child care, extracurricular activities, medical expenses not covered by insurance and some other types of expenses as well. Determining child support is an important concern for many parents, which is why they should understand how it is calculated and what their obligations will be.
