The purpose of child support is to allow children to benefit from the resources of both parents, even when the parents do not live together. Child support generally consists of two components—a monthly payment from one parent to the other and the sharing of significant child-related expenses. Expenses that are typically shared are: health insurance, unreimbursed medical and dental expenses, work-related childcare, camp, extracurricular activities, tutoring, and other such expenses. The amount of the monthly payment depends primarily on the income of both parties, along with the cost of work-related childcare and the incremental cost of adding the children to a party’s health insurance plan. Child support can also be impacted by the residential schedule for the children.

Each state has a child support guideline that is presumptive up to a specified level of income. For incomes above the guideline, there is discretion to extrapolate from the guideline. At McKinney Figini our knowledge of child support guidelines and their economic underpinnings is extensive. In our experience there are many factors that should be taken into account when determining how parents will share the expense of raising a child. We address each case with creativity and a principled approach developed over many years of working with families of separation and divorce. We can help you create an arrangement that is tailored to your family’s situation.