Understanding how this works can help reduce some of the stress during the divorce process. In Tennessee, child support is calculated based on specific guidelines, which act as a framework for determining the child support obligation.
Step 1: Gather Income Information
The two most critical pieces of information used to calculate child support are the gross monthly incomes of both parents. This refers to total income before deductions, not what you take home each month.
Step 2: Determine Parenting Time
Another major factor in the calculation is the number of days each parent spends with the minor children. This means how many out of 365 days a year each parent has the children in their care. The amount of time each parent spends with the children can significantly impact the child support obligation.
Step 3: Account for Health Insurance
If one parent provides health insurance for the children, the cost of the children’s portion of the monthly health insurance premium can be factored into the child support calculation.
Step 4: Include Childcare Expenses
Work-related childcare expenses are another variable that can be added to the formula. These cover the cost of childcare needed while the parent is working and can influence the final child support amount.
Step 5: Input Data into the Child Support Calculator
Tennessee uses a child support calculator, which is essentially a computer formula that takes these variables – gross income, parenting time, health insurance costs, and childcare expenses – and generates a child support obligation.
While the process may seem straightforward, it’s essential to ensure all the relevant details are correctly entered to get an accurate result.
If you have any questions about divorce or child support in Tennessee, feel free to call me.
