Joint Custody Child Support In Indiana
Indiana child custody arrangements that divide parents into custodial and noncustodial parents typically require one parent to pay child support.
Many factors may change which parent pays child support and the experienced child support attorneys at Webster & Garino LLC can discuss what those factors are with you. We are here to help find the right child support arrangement for your joint custody case in Westfield, Indiana, and the surrounding areas.
We’ve put together this blog with all the basics on joint physical custody child support. Read on to learn more and contact Webster & Garino LLC when you need effective family law solutions.
How Much Child Support Do I Pay in Indiana?
In Indiana, child support is calculated based on the Indiana Child Support Guidelines.
In general, Indiana child support is calculated based on the gross income of the parents, the amount of overnights a parent exercises, and other applicable credits such as payments made by a parent for health insurance and work-related child care expenses. A parent can also receive a credit in determining an Indiana child support obligation for prior and subsequent born children. To determine income, Indiana family courts typically examine paystubs, tax returns, and bank statements from each party.
In joint custody situations, the Indiana child support guidelines will consider several factors when deciding the necessity and amount of child support, including:
Equal Parenting Time
Indiana law deems parenting time to be equal when both parents individually care for their children 182 overnights per year.
Daytime parenting time does not count towards overnights. A parent must typically care for children overnight to get an overnight credit in calculating child support in Indiana. If a parent exercises parenting during the day multiple times throughout the week, such as picking the children up from school and returning them in the evening to the custodial parent, an experienced Indiana divorce attorney can argue that the court should provide some overnight credit to reflect the care the non-custodial parent provides during the day throughout the week.
Parents sometimes believe that when their parenting time is equal and they make similar amounts of money no child support should be paid, however, an experienced Indiana divorce attorney can help you navigate the appropriateness of your thoughts or requests. Even in those circumstances, however, they will still need to determine how to equally divide ongoing costs for unreimbursed medical care, extracurricular expenses, and other child-related expenses not specifically covered by child support.
Close-to-Equal Parenting Time
For various reasons, some joint custody schedules may not achieve an exact 50/50 division of parenting time. In those circumstances, Indiana child support is calculated, in part, by entering the amount of overnights a parent exercises.
Indiana Family courts will adjust child support orders by the amount of parenting time that a person provides. In addition, if a parent is providing other “in kind” benefits such as paying for cell phones, car payments, etc., said parent may be entitled to a reduction in their Indiana child support obligation based on the amount of money being spent on the children above and beyond their day-to-day needs.
Choose Webster & Garino LLC for Trustworthy Child Support Solutions
Our child custody lawyers at Webster & Garino LLC provide personalized advice to parents in all stages of divorce and custody situations. All parties sharing primary physical custody can benefit from professional legal support in the process of determining child support.
As part of our comprehensive family law solutions, we help our clients obtain a child support order so they can focus on bettering their child’s life. We can also evaluate your income and parenting time schedule to explain how the court might determine your child support in Indiana. Contact Webster & Garino LLC today to speak with one of our family law child support attorneys.
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