North Carolina Child Support

More than 300,000 North Carolina families rely on child support payments. When a noncustodial parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, it can wreak havoc on the lives of those who depend on this income. In North Carolina, various enforcement remedies are available to ensure that parents fulfill their obligations. One option is to work with an experienced family law attorney who can help you understand your options and assist in the process of collecting North Carolina Child Support.

North Carolina Child Support Guidelines

When two parents separate, they are legally obligated to provide support for their children. The state of North Carolina has set child support guidelines that provide a formula to determine how much one parent should pay the other. These guidelines consider both parties’ gross incomes and other expenses like work-related childcare costs and health insurance premiums.

A judge will look at many factors when deciding how much child support should be paid. Some of these include the parent’s ability to pay and if applying the child support guidelines would not meet the children’s reasonable needs. The court will also consider if there are other circumstances that warrant a deviation from the guidelines.

The child support guidelines are determined by the Conference of Chief District Court Judges and governed by North Carolina law. They are published in a schedule of “basic child support obligations” that are based on economic data and the average cost of raising a child. Additional categories, such as healthcare expense payments and other extraordinary expenses, are added to the basic obligation.

The North Carolina legislature requires the Conference of Chief District Court Judges to periodically review and approve these guidelines. They consider comments from the Administrative Office of the Courts and other agencies and suggestions from judges and attorneys across the state. The conference also holds a public hearing to give the public an opportunity to comment on the guidelines.

North Carolina Child Support Worksheet B

The North Carolina child support guidelines have worksheets that can be used to calculate your child support payments. The first step is to determine which worksheet to use. The choice depends on the separation agreement and custodial arrangement. Worksheet A is used when one parent has primary physical custody of the children for whom support is being determined (at least 243 overnight visits per year). Worksheet B is used when parents share custody. And finally, Worksheet C is used when split custody is involved (one parent has primary physical custody of at least one child, and the other parent has primary custody of the other children for whom support is being determined).

The next step is to complete the income section of the worksheet. This includes listing all of each parent’s monthly gross income, including wages, self-employment income, rental income, and any other sources of income. You should also include supporting documentation such as pay stubs and tax returns to verify the accuracy of the information.

Once the information is entered into the NC child support calculator, you can begin calculating your child support payments. Keep in mind that this is only an estimate. Actual child support payments will depend on a variety of factors, including the cost of daycare and medical insurance.