On behalf of The Law Offices of Mary Ann Beaty, PC posted in Child Support on Friday, April 1, 2016.

Texas parents are well aware of the difficulties that can arise in matters involving raising children. This also holds true with the components of divorce that involve children. Child custody and child support can be among the more contentious elements of divorce and parents often understandably have strong opinions regarding these matters. There are certain factors that courts will look at regarding child custody and child support.

The amount owed by the non-custodial parent in child support is determined by a number of factors. One of these is the earnings of and the amount of assets owned by each parents. Child support is “income driven.” This means that the income of the parents is the primary factor that courts will look at when deciding on the amount that the non-custodial parent will owe in child support. The non-custodial parent’s gross income is looked at when amount owed is calculated.

A gross income is not limited to the salaries and wages earned by the parent. There are also smaller assets that the court may take into consideration in addition to this income. Annuities, pension income, veterans’ benefits, Social Security benefits, trust or estate income and the like may all be taken into consideration. Any second job income or any gifts or prizes received may also be counted in a non-custodial parent’s gross income as well.

Parents often have strong opinions regarding child support and child custody matters. Although it is not possible to always get exactly what a parent wants in divorce, it can be possible to fight for the interests of the parents, as well as what is best for the child. With the help of an attorney, parents can often devise strong legal strategies that take into account the many legal complexities inherent in these cases.

 

Source: FindLaw, “Child support: determining parents’ income,” accessed on March 28, 2016