Calculation of Child Support in a Divorce

Child Support is calculated using the Indiana Child Support Guidelines. It is actually a worksheet that is prepared online. The worksheet is a mathematical algorithm that is easy to work with.

On the worksheet there are two columns: one for the father and one for the mother. In each column you put in the gross weekly income of each parent. Then, you are allowed to deduct certain credits from the gross weekly income.

Also, there are credits for subsequent and prior born children, payments for child support for a prior born child and payments for spousal maintenance as well.

Credits For The Payment Of Child Care And Healthcare

The most common credits noted on the child support worksheet include payments for work- related childcare and the child’s portion of weekly health insurance premiums.

Credits For Annual Overnights

Parents also get credits for the annual number of overnights that they have with the children. For example, depending on the age of the child, the typical number of overnights that the non-custodial parent will be credited with pursuant to the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines is 98. The online worksheet credits overnights in ranges from 0-51 to 184+.

What Will Child Support Be Set At?

Once all of the values have been imputed into the online child support worksheet, the algorithm will spit out a bottom line number as the recommended amount of support to be paid by the non-custodial parent.

There does not exist a lot of “wiggle room” when determining support because the gross weekly income, the multipliers for subsequent and prior born children, and the costs for daycare and health insurance are relatively constant. However, the real key here is that the amount of child support paid can fluctuate based upon the number of overnights that each parent exercises.

The details regarding the Indiana Child Support Guidelines are numerous and intricate, and I will better explain and apply them to each individual case and client.