In addition to a child custody agreement, the primary parent or custodian of the child involved can also receive child support. Child support cases can become heated if both parties involved do not agree on support terms. However, the law provides that children have the right to receive financial support from both parents no matter who their primary guardian is. Figuring out child support can be challenging. It should be done alongside a child support lawyer who has experience handling such cases. Our attorneys are accomplished child support lawyers who can ensure that child support agreements are created fairly and justly enforced.
General Information:
Learn How To Work A Child Support Worksheet In 3 Easy Steps
Step #1: How Many Children Do You Have?
The first step in calculating child support in Kentucky involves looking at the number of children involved.
The Kentucky Child Support Guidelines table requires you to first state the number of children that you share with the parent for which you are trying to calculate a support obligation. Here is a snapshot of the first part of the law that establishes the child support numbers in Louisville and throughout the state:
(You can access the complete child support guidelines table by clicking here.)
The columns at the top of the table range from “one child” all the way up to “six or more” children. As a very basic example to illustrate how the child support number goes up with the number of children, if both parents together make $500 per month in gross income, the overall support obligation for one child would be $100 per month, but $120 per month would be used if there are five children shared by those parents.
If you have a child younger than the child(ren) for which you are calculating a child support number, that younger child will not be included in the calculation. If either you or the other parent have a child support obligation for a prior-born child, then you will need to know that number to fill out a Kentucky child support worksheet.
Step #2: How Much Money Do The Parents Make?
As you can see from the chart above, the child support formula looks at the combined monthly gross income of the parents along with the number of children to arrive at an overall support obligation.
Gross income is how much you make before taxes. It’s the larger number on your paycheck, before any other deductions such as retirement and health insurance.
Family courts will generally look at your three most recent paystubs to determine your year-to-date income, along with last year’s tax information, to arrive at your gross monthly income.
Step #3: Who Is Paying For Extra Expenses Such As Child Care And Health Insurance?
In most families, either the mom or dad will be paying for work-related child care or medical insurance for the child(ren) out of their paycheck or their own pocket.
The exact cost of those expenses should be obtained from your employer (ask for the cost difference between an employee-only plan and a plan which includes employee plus children) or child care provider.
