Seal Beach Child Support Lawyer

If parents cannot agree on a child support amount, the judge will determine the amount based on state calculation guidelines. To determine the amount, the judge will consider the net disposable income of each parent. The net amount is the parent’s income after taxes, mandatory dues and health premiums have been paid. The following wages are considered sources of income by California courts:

• Employment wages
• Disability benefits
• Dividends
• Rental property income
• Self-employment earnings
• Unemployment benefits
• Workers’ compensation benefits
• Social Security and pensions

Under the California Family Code, the income of each parent’s partner will not be considered when establishing child support amounts. The judge will, however, consider how much time each parent spends with the child. This concept is known as timeshare. While child support and child custody are two separate legal processes, child support calculations are partially determined by custody arrangements.  In essence, the less time a parent spends with a child, the more he or she may need to pay in child support.  The disparity between the parents’ incomes is also a consideration when calculating the payment amount. For example, if one parent earns $75,000 per year and the other parent makes $50,000, the parent with the higher income can expect to pay a higher amount.