What You Need to Know About Child Support During Divorce Mediation

 Posted on November 19, 2021 in Divorce Mediation

If you are planning to get a divorce, you and your spouse will need to resolve many different issues related to your finances, the property you own, and your ongoing needs. If you have children, the divorce process may become even more complex, and you will need to address multiple types of issues related to child custody. In many cases, divorce mediation offers the best way to resolve disagreements and create a settlement that will provide for the needs of both you and your spouse. During the mediation process, you will need to understand how to address child support for your children.

Texas Child Support Laws

Child support obligations will depend on the decisions made about the physical custody of children. When children live with one parent for the majority of the time, that parent will usually receive child support payments from the other parent. To calculate child support, the net resources of the obligor parent will be determined, and a certain percentage will be applied to this amount based on the number of children that a parent will be supporting.

To calculate a parent’s net resources, all forms of income that a parent receives will be considered. This will not only include their regular wages and any bonuses or commissions, but also self-employment income, money earned through interest, royalties, or dividends from investments, severance pay, pension benefits, distributions from a trust, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, capital gains, and certain types of Social Security benefits or veteran’s benefits. Net resources will then be determined by deducting federal and state income taxes, Social Security taxes, and union dues.

After determining a parent’s net resources, child support will be calculated by applying the appropriate percentage for the number of children a couple shares:

• One child: 20 percent
• Two children: 25 percent
• Three children: 30 percent
• Four children: 35 percent
• Five children: 40 percent
• Six or more children: at least 40 percent

Child support will also address costs related to children’s medical and dental care. Parents will be required to obtain health insurance coverage for children, and they will usually divide the costs of medical and dental insurance. The amount that a parent pays for children’s medical and dental support will be deducted from their net resources. 

Child support calculations may become more complicated in cases where parents share joint physical custody of children. This may include situations where parents have 50/50 custody or when children spend near-equal amounts of time living with each parent. In these cases, child support may be determined by calculating each parent’s net resources and applying the appropriate percentage. The amounts of each parent’s child support obligation may then be offset to determine the amount that one parent will pay to the other.

Contact Our Plano Child Support Mediators

As you address issues related to your children, your finances, and other matters during your divorce, our mediators can help you and your spouse reach workable agreements. For experienced Collin County child support mediation services, contact us today at 469-406-4320 and set up a free consultation.

Source:

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/FA/htm/FA.154.htm