Child Support is a function of several factors. Not the least of which is the number of overnights your child spends in each household. The idea is that each parent should be appropriately credited for those overnights because those are times when it is assumed that parent is feeding and providing for the minor children. Just because many parents are now awarded equal timesharing, does not mean there is no child support.

Another factor is the income of both parents. If both parents are W-2 employees, it is a little easier to determine income. Things become more complicated if one or both parents are unemployed, underemployed or self-employed.

The courts recognize that folks who are self-employed have some control over the income and deductions that are included on their tax returns and that the tax return may not be the best reflection of income. In these cases it is important to have an attorney with the experience to find the income or the income earning potential.

Daycare is included in the child support calculation. Don’t forget Summer Care. If your children go to camp during the Summer because you and your spouse both work, that also needs to be included in the daycare calculation. This amount drastically affects the daycare amount because each parent needs to pay an appropriate share of daycare costs.

It is important to discuss with your attorney, who provides medical and dental insurance for the children and whether there is a child support obligation for a child of a prior relationship. These things affect the final number when it comes to calculating child support.