When our clients ask how much child support they’ll pay or receive, we respond Oklahoma child support is based on their gross income. Other factors consider who’s paying the health insurance for the children and how many overnights the parents will exercise. This is a simple explanation of how Oklahoma child support works. The truth is the amount of child support relies on the needs of a child. The state of Oklahoma designate the needs of the child. This need is than compared to the combined gross income of both parents. For parents who are both at minimum wage with one child, minimum amount of child support is $222.50. However there are several factors increasing or decreasing the payable base amount of child support.
Self Employment Income and Oklahoma Child Support:
Child support may reduce if one party self-employs or collects money through means such as collecting rent. The amount declared as self-employment income, reduces by 7.65%. This is because this portion of income is subject to different taxes. Self-employment income will reduce a parties gross income. This may in turn decrease the payable base amount of child support.
More Child Support Info here.
Prior Born Child Deduction and Child Support:
A parent who has a previously born child will receives deduction to their gross income for child support purposes. The prior born child must live with them for the majority of the year. For example, if a parent’s gross income equals $3,000 a month, and a previous born child lives with them, their income reduces by $378.75. This will in turn decrease not only the child support that they have to pay. This will also reduce their shared percentage of any non-covered medical expenses.
Other Income Deductions and Child Support:
A party’s gross income may be further reduced. Therefore also reducing the base child support obligation, by adding the following to the child support calculation:
Any amount of Social Security Title II benefits paid for the benefit of the child
Ordered support alimony actually paid in a prior case
Monthly adjustment for paying on marital debt ordered by a Court.
Monthly Court ordered child support actually paid for out-of-home children (from a prior case)
Shared Parenting Time:
The base child support obligation reduces if the parent paying child support receives shared parenting time. Said parent will receive an adjustment factor to their child support obligation should that have at least 121 overnights. Therefore, the more overnights a parent has, the higher the adjustment. It is not uncommon if the parents have almost equal incomes and are sharing equal custody that the child support obligation be reduced to a minimal amount.
Child Care, Medical Insurance Coverage and Cash Medical:
A child support calculation will establish a percentage share of the party’s income. This percentage is used to determine the responsibility of covering non-covered medical expenses and a proportionate share of work or school related daycare. However, to avoid having to constantly seek reimbursement for daycare expenses and health insurance premium costs, the Oklahoma child support calculations allow the parties to enter this information in to the guidelines themselves. This can increase or decrease a party’s obligation.
For instance, father is ordered to pay child support to mother, however he pays $100 for their child’s health insurance. If father’s percentage share is 60%, his child support will be reduced by $40, since mother’s percentage share is already factored into the calculation.
In a similar situation, with parents having the same percentage share, if mother is paying $500 a month in daycare expenses, father’s child support would increase to by $300.
Oklahoma Child support may also increase if one parent is receiving a daycare subsidy from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Further if the child receives no insurance, it increases because the calculation includes the addition of cash medical support in lieu of insurance.
Deviations From the Guidelines:
There are times when the court may deviate downwards from the guidelines. This is based on the agreement of the parties and based on the parties assuming other financial responsibilities of the child. However, any deviations are subject to the courts discretion and the court will not deviate should the judge believe that a deviation is not in the child’s best interest.
The court deviates upwards from the guidelines if the parties’ gross income is above $15,000 a month. Further, the court will make considerations as to the needs of the child in making this determination for increasing the child support obligation.
Contact Tulsa Divorce Attorneys and Associates:
How much Oklahoma child support you’ll have to pay or that you’ll receive is a common question for our Family law attorneys. For a Free consultation with one of our attorneys call today.