Child Support and Your Wages

How much you make plays a major factor in how much child support you’ll pay or receive. That goes for custodial parents as well as noncustodial parents. This leaves some parents concerned about the effects of child support on their wages. The Stockton, CA lawyers of McKinley, Conger, Jolley & Galarneau, LLP, LLP can help with these matters, whether you’re the custodial parent receiving child support or the noncustodial parent who must make payments.

Below, we want to consider how wages are used to determine child support. We will also briefly go over the use of wage garnishment as a tool for collecting child support.

How Your Wages Help Determine Child Support

While wages play a role in the larger determination of child support amounts, they are not the sole factor considered. That said, sometimes half of a noncustodial parent’s wages may be used to fulfill this obligation. In some cases, more than half of all wages are for child support.

When determining how much you owe in child support, courts will take your net income into account as well as the custodial parent’s income, expenses related to property taxes and mortgage obligations, amount of physical custody that the noncustodial parent has, and so forth.

Wage Garnishment and Child Support

Sometimes it may be necessary to garnish a noncustodial parent’s wages for child support payments. This means that a percentage of the noncustodial parent’s paycheck will be automatically deducted and given to the custodial parent.

When a noncustodial parent doesn’t make their regular child support payments, custodial parents can consult our Stockton family law attorneys about getting a court to approve wage garnishment.

Adjusting Child Support Based on Noncustodial Parent Wage Changes

Changes in a noncustodial parent’s wages could be used to raise or lower their current child support obligation. This can also alter the amount of wages garnished from their paycheck.

A drop in income can be grounds for requesting a reduction in current child support amounts. An increase in the noncustodial parent’s income can also be grounds for upping the amount of child support owed. Whatever the case, this will need to be approved by the courts.

Adjusting Child Support Based on Custodial Parent Wage Changes

Changes in a custodial parent’s income can similarly be considered as grounds for adjusting child support payments.

If a custodial parent has their wages cut, additional child support may be requested given the change in income. Conversely, if a custodial parent receives a raise or a promotion, this could mean a reduction in the child support they receive. Again, any adjustments will need to be approved by the court.

Helping You with Child Support Issues and Disputes

Whether you are a custodial parent or a non-custodial parent, having an attorney on your side during child support disputes or changes is crucial for ensuring fairness. Most importantly, working with an attorney from our Stockton law firm will mean that the best interests of your child will always be at the forefront of all legal discussions.

Learn More About Child Support

For more information about determining the amount of child support owed and how you can alter payment, be sure to contact our team of family law attorneys. The team at McKinley, Conger, Jolley & Galarneau, LLP, LLP can be reached by phone at 209-477-8171.