When it comes to child support in Virginia, several factors help determine payment amounts. These factors undergo careful consideration to ensure that both parents contribute to their child’s upbringing.
Understanding the factors that influence child support payment amounts is helpful for parents navigating the child support process in the state.
Income of both parents
A key factor that carries weight when determining child support payment amounts is the income of both parents. The court evaluates each parent’s gross income, including wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions and other sources of income. The court may also consider overtime pay, investment income and self-employment earnings. The combined income of both parents serves as the basis for calculating the child support obligation.
Number of children
The number of children needing support also helps determine child support payment amounts. Child support guidelines provide specific calculations for determining child support obligations based on the number of children requiring support. As the number of children increases, the child support obligation increases proportionally to meet the additional financial needs of the children.
Child’s financial needs
The child’s financial needs, including childcare, health care and education expenses, also come into play when determining child support payment amounts. The court may evaluate the child’s standard of living during the marriage. It may also consider any special needs or circumstances that may warrant more financial support.
According to LendingTree, the average American parent paying child support pays about $7,906 in support each year. Virginia is among the states where parents see the smallest amount of their personal income going toward child support.
