How is Child Support Determined?

Alabama bases child support payments on what is considered to the be the “Income Shares Model.” In summary, the model states that a child should receive the same ratio of support from both parents that they would have received had the parents’ relationship stayed intact. The model takes the total amount that an intact family would have spent supporting their children and divides it proportionately according to each parent’s individual income. In theory, the parent with the larger income pays a greater amount while the parent with the lesser income pays a smaller amount.

Check Out the Four Steps to Calculating Child Support Payments Using the Income Shares Model Below:

1.  Figure out the gross income of both parents and combine to figure out a total number.
2. Using the Alabama Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, match the total income from Step 1 with the number of children to come up with a support figure.
3. Calculate the total child support obligation by adding things such as healthcare, childcare expenses, and health insurance costs.
4.  The total obligation of each parent is based on that parent’s percentage of the combined gross income.

For Example:

Sarah and John are getting divorced and share one child together. They have agreed that Sarah will retain primary custody with visitation rights for John. John makes $4,000 per month while Sarah makes $2,000 per month (gross). Childcare expenses are estimated to be $400 per month. We’ll assume health insurance for the child is covered by Joe’s employer and there are no other extraordinary expenses.

1. Sarah and John’s combined monthly gross income is $6,000.
2. Based on the Alabama Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, the basic child support obligation amount is $818.
3. Add the $400 in childcare expenses to the obligation amount of $818, which totals up to $1,218.
4. The final step is prorating the obligation based on income. John’s income is $4,000 out of $6,000 or 67%. Multiply 67% by $1,218 to get the total number that John will pay to Sarah in monthly child support = $816.

Extenuating Circumstances

There are also provisions that allow for deviations from the Alabama Schedule of Basic Child support, such as:

• One parent has shared custody or extensive visitation rights outside of the normal schedule
• One parent bears a substantial cost for transportation related to the visitation
•  Education expenses are incurred for the child
  
• Other extenuating circumstances

If You or Anyone You Know is Considering a Divorce and Have Questions About Child Support Payments or Custody, Please Give Us a Call to Schedule a Consultation. We Are Dedicated to Protecting What Matters Most – Your Family and Your Freedom.