Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates

Salt Lake City – Ogden – Lehi

Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates

Salt Lake City – Ogden – Lehi

We Fight To Win

Experienced Divorce and Family Law Attorneys Serving All of Utah

Calculating Expected Child Support Payments

When parents of a minor child separate, one common question is “How much will the child support payment be?” Unfortunately, there is no easy answer and a parent’s payment will depend on their unique circumstances. Understanding the factors involved in determining child support payments can help you get a reasonable idea of what to expect.

If you are the noncustodial parent of a child who is under the age of 18, you will generally be required to pay child support. At Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates, our attorneys will help you calculate your expected child support payments and work to get you a fair payment. Call our firm now at (801) 475-8800 to schedule your consultation with a lawyer.

How Does The Utah Child Support Calculator Work?

The Utah family courts use three components to calculate a parent’s total child support payment:

  • Base child support: State law calculates the base child support payment by using numerous factors. First, both parents’ monthly income are considered; second, the formula requires the number of children to be plugged in; and third, the number of overnights each parent will be receiving. These are the three most common factors in calculating child support. However, there can be several other more highly technical and nuanced factors that can be considered in certain cases. The Utah State Legislature provides a table that determines a parent’s expected payments once the above factors are correctly calculated.
  • Medical care: Parents must generally split equally the cost of a child’s health insurance premium. Any non-covered payments will also be split equally, including deductibles and co-payments.
  • Child care expenses: Parents must generally split equally any reasonable work-related child care costs such as child care for work or education of that particular parent. However, all of these have certain and conditions which you should discuss with a skilled attorney.

While these are the guidelines, a family court can sometimes deviate from the calculated amount. To obtain a deviation a parent must have an extremely good reason, which is also in the best interests of his or her child. Our skilled attorneys can go over your personal income, custody, parent-time arrangement and all other related factors to determine what the correct child support should be and/or if a deviation is possible.

Let Our Firm Help You Correctly Calculate Child Support

Our knowledgeable attorneys have helped hundreds and hundreds of people correctly calculate their child support across Utah. There are many factors on this issue that need to be considered by a skilled attorney. We have offices in Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Lehi to assist you with your needs. Call us now at (801) 475-8800 to schedule your free consultation. You can also send us an email.