West Virginia Child Support Guide
The West Virginia Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) is responsible for establishing, enforcing, and modifying child support orders within the state. Here's a breakdown of key aspects of West Virginia Child Support.
Child support is an ongoing payment by one parent to the other that helps with a child’s financial needs. It’s often determined during a divorce but can also be arranged at any time by agreement of the parents or ordered by a West Virginia court. The state sets specific guidelines that determine a fair amount of money to be paid based on the combined income of both parties and the number of children involved. However, the court can decide to adjust the child support payment based on specific circumstances.
The BCSE can collect owed child support by levying bank accounts or withholding public assistance (TANF). In most cases, the agency will use wage withholding to collect child support from employed non-custodial parents. This is the fastest and most effective way to collect child support in West Virginia. The wage withholding order must include comprehensive information, including when the withholding should begin and how much should be deducted from each paycheck.
The non-custodial parent can also submit a written payment to the agency by mail. The agency can accept checks, money orders, or credit cards. To make sure the payment is processed accurately, it should be sent with a payment coupon for parents or a Wage Assignment Transmittal for employers.
How to Calculate West Virginia Child Support?
West Virginia child support payments are determined by the Income Shares Support Formula that considers both parents’ income and the number of children involved. The state also takes into account the cost of providing health insurance for the children. West Virginia law requires both parents to provide their children with a standard of living that is comparable to the one they enjoyed while the children were living with both parents.
In cases where a divorce is granted, the court will order one parent to pay the other a specific amount of money each month. This payment is designed to cover raising the children, including housing, food, clothing, and entertainment. It may also cover some educational expenses, like tuition and school fees.
The state uses a formula to determine child support payments, but it’s not always accurate. This is because some parents use inaccurate parenting time estimates, which can cause their child support calculation to be too high or too low. Custody X Change uses a proven, accurate parenting time calculator that can help you get the best results for your case.
Most parents realize the importance of covering their children’s financial needs after a divorce, but a smaller number cannot or will not pay child support. Fortunately, the state can take several enforcement measures to collect regular and past-due payments.
