It is common for you to doubt the amount of child support you will have to pay each month after separation. The number of children you have and the income you earn will depend on the amount you have to deposit each month.
For this, you can find multiple online child support calculators that help you to know the total amount you have to pay each month. There is no specific amount because all the earnings you have in a month will count in calculating the total amount to transfer to the child.
How much can child support take from your check?
As mentioned before, it is not possible to know the exact price of child support because it depends largely on your monthly income and the benefits you earn in a month.
A child’s percentage can be between 17 and 20% of your monthly income. For example, if you earn $5,000 a month, paying 17% child support would be the equivalent of $850 a month. In this sense, if you earn approximately $15,000 per year, you will have to deposit between $212.50/$2,550 per year.
How much child support for 2 kids?
Unlike what you may think, having two children does not indicate that the percentage will be for two. It is estimated that the monthly child support payment for two children is 25% of your monthly income.
In other words, if you earn $5000 a month, you must pay $1250 monthly for your children’s needs. It should be noted that there are certain conditions. The percentage can be higher if you have a monthly income greater than $7,500.
Likewise, suppose the legal representative with custody of the children indicates that she requires more than the amount established by the court. After the corresponding studies, it is decided that it is true. In that case, you will have to pay the additional amount.
The Importance of Child Support Payments
Making child support payments has an important impact on a child’s quality of life. The opportunities they will be able to access and the comfort they live in while dependent on their parents.
It is part of supporting the child’s upbringing
Although raising a child does not depend solely on the monetary factor, it greatly impacts the child’s life. Having a child can be very costly for separated parents and those living together.
Child support payments are one way to provide security for children, giving them the financial support they need for tuition, clothing, food, and extracurricular activities.
It is the best way to ensure basic needs
Child support money is intended only to cover the costs of necessities such as clothing, housing, schooling, and food for the children. It also considers leisure time and extra activities because it is part of their growth.
If the parents do not have insurance benefits, health-related payments, such as dental and medical insurance to preserve the children’s health, must also be considered.
The costs of camps and other activities for the children’s fun during vacations and weekends are among the payments. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to manage the money well.
Avoid problems in the future
When the parent makes child support payments, they protect themself from facing legal problems in the future. It is a way to ensure the children’s financial stability and provide them with a home with the things they need to grow up.
Failure to make child support payments can result in some of the actions that courts often take in cases such as wage garnishment, driver’s license suspension, and in extreme cases, jail time.
Types of child support payments
Child support is new to many parents, so it is important to know about the other types of child support available.
Self-pay
Self-payment occurs when payments are made without the legal bodies’ intervention in regulating and fixing the monthly fee. In these cases, the parents agree on the monthly amount and payment method.
They also agree on how they will use the money during the month to avoid issues by spending it completely before the estimated date.
Private collection
These are payments made by both parents and agreed upon between them; they usually do not need legal help to make them. It is used when they prefer flexibility in the payments and to decide on the needs of the children, adjusting the amount to it.
Occasionally, the amount is imposed by the court, but the parents are responsible for deciding when and how they will make the payments. It is not a good choice when one party does not trust the other to make payments on time.
Child Support Collection
Payment is a measure used by the courts in which the prosecutor is responsible for imposing the amount and transferring the payments to reach their destination. They require the assistance of the authorities because they cannot agree on their own.