Various approaches to calculating the amount of child support award
payments exist. Many jurisdictions consider multiple sources of
information when determining support, taking into account the income of
the parents, the number and ages of children living in the home, basic
living expenses and school fees. If the child has special needs, such as
treatment for a serious illness or disability, these costs may also be
taken into consideration.
Guidelines for support orders may be based on laws which require
non-custodial parents to pay a flat percentage of their annual income
toward their children's expenses. Often two approaches are combined. In
the United Kingdom, for instance, there are four basic rates of child
support based on the non-custodial parents' income, which are then
modified and adjusted based on several factors. In the United States, the
federal government requires all states to have guideline calculations that
can be verified and certified. These are usually computer programs based
upon certain financial information including, earnings, visitation, taxes,
insurance costs, and several other factors.
Once established, child support orders are reviewed periodically,
typically once every two to three years, to determine if adjustments in
payment amounts are necessary. In addition, in most jurisdictions, both
the custodial and non-custodial parent reserves the right to request a
court review and modification at any time. For instance, if the
non-custodial parent becomes unemployed or faces financial hardship, he or
she may petition the court for a reduction in support payments.
Conversely, if the child's expenses increase, the custodial parent may ask
the court to increase payments to cover the new costs. Although both
parents have the right to petition the court for a support order
adjustment, modifications are not automatic, and a judge may decide not to
alter the amount of support after hearing the facts of the case.
