Raising a child is incredibly expensive. In fact, over the course of their life as a minor, you could easily spend more than $10,000 each year providing them care. That’s a heavy lift for a single parent to make, which is why if you’re a custodial parent you need to think about seeking an adequate child support order against the other parent.
But how much child support should you ask for? That’s a good question that’s going to depend in large part on the facts at hand. However, Arizona takes a specific approach when calculating child support that you need to be aware of so that you know how to craft your argument for an appropriate support order. That said, let’s dive in and look at how child support is calculated in our state.
How child support is calculated in Arizona
Arizona follows a specific formula when it comes to calculating child support, known as the income share approach. Here, the court determines each parent’s income and compares it to the monthly expenses of raising the child to figure out how much support should be paid. For example, if a non-custodial parent earns $4,000 per month and the custodial parent earns $2,000 per month, then the non-custodial parent accounts for two-thirds of all income and will thus pay two-thirds of the child’s monthly expenses. In this example, then, if the child’s monthly expenses are $1,5000, then the non-custodial parent would pay $1,000 in support. However, the amount of support owed may be reduced based on the amount of parenting time that the non-custodial parent exercises with the child.
That said, the court has discretion to order whatever sort of support it deems appropriate and to be in the child’s best interests. There are several factors that can be considered here, too. This includes each of the following:
- The number of children who need support.
- The ages of the children who will be the focus of the order.
- Any support being provided to any other children.
- Each parent’s income.
- The cost of insurance to cover the children.
- The amount of spousal support being paid, if any.
- The amount of parenting time being exercised by the non-custodial parent.
- The cost of daycare.
- Any relevant medical expenses.
- Any applicable education expenses.
So, as you prepare to head into your child support dispute, you need to be armed with compelling evidence. Some of it, like the other parent’s income, may be difficult to get your hands on, but you can use the discovery process to ensure you have the information needed to appropriately advocate for a fair and just child support arrangement. Also, be sure to track all expenses related to your children so that you can give the court an accurate picture of the costs that need to be addressed through the support order.
Don’t leave your child support order to chance
The outcome of your child support dispute can define your and your child’s financial stability for years to come. Although a child support order can later be modified, there’ll have to be a substantial change in circumstances to warrant such a request. So, you need to make strong arguments the first time around.
To do so, be sure to thoroughly address each of the factors identified above, using compulsory discovery techniques if needed. By doing so, you’ll maximize your chances of securing an outcome that’s fair and just under the circumstances, thereby allowing you to better provide for your child.