How the Orange County Court deals with child support amounts

Couples who share a child in Orange County and are no longer together are presumably fully aware that they have to pay the costs for the child's care with child support. However, many might not know how that amount is determined. While it is optimal for the parents to come to an agreement for the good of the child and to avoid rancor, a child support dispute can still happen. If the couple is not able to come to an agreement, the court can step in and make an order for a certain amount to be paid to meet the child's financial needs.

It is up to the judge to make a decision after consulting with the child support guidelines. There is a formula in the state that dictates what must be paid. The judge has the ability to order an amount that is different from the guidelines, but there must be a legitimate reason for doing so. When it comes to basic child support neither the cost of child care nor medical expenses will be factored into the calculation. They will be taken into consideration and will be ordered on top of the child support amount based on the guidelines.

The following factors are considered with child support guidelines: the amount of time the parents spend with the child, the amount of money that the parents earn, the number of children the parents share, the tax filing of the parents, if there is child support paid to others from different relationships, health costs, union dues, contributions to retirement funds, daycare, uninsured health care expenses and other issues. It might not involve the costs to visit the parent, education costs and other possible special needs that might arise.

It's a fact that many relationships do not last. If there are children from that relationship - whether the couple was married or not - the care of the child will come to the forefront. If there are any disagreements with the amount that will be paid or received in child support, the legal process will help to settle it. For those who are embroiled in a child support dispute, it is important to have a grasp on the legal process with advice from an experienced attorney.