The State of South Carolina – just like every other state in the nation – requires both parents to support their children financially, and child support is the tool that is employed to ensure that this support is balanced fairly between both parents. South Carolina has careful calculation guidelines it uses to determine each parent’s child support obligation. If you have a legal issue related to child support, seeking the professional legal guidance of an experienced South Carolina family law attorney is well-advised.
The Income Share Method
South Carolina uses what is known as the income share method of calculating child support, which takes both parents’ incomes into consideration in the calculation of child support payments. This helps to ensure that both the primary custodial parent and the non-custodial parent (if this is your setup) contribute in relation to their ability to do so. As such, child support is calculated in accordance with your child custody arrangements and each parent’s financial ability to pay. This means that even if you divide your parenting time evenly, the higher earner among you will likely have a child support obligation. Finally, childcare costs and extraordinary medical expenses (outside of those payments covered by healthcare insurance) may be addressed separately.
Factors that Play a Role in the Calculation of Child Support
All of the following factors can play a significant role in how child support will be calculated in your case:
- You and your children’s other parent’s income
- Your child custody arrangements
- The number of children you share
- The number of children each of you supports overall
- Any alimony obligations to a prior spouse (on either side)
- Any other factors the court deems relevant in your unique case
An Experienced South Carolina Family Law Attorney Can Help
The resourceful family law attorneys at Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey, LLC, in Greenville recognize how critical child custody concerns are to you and your children, and we take great pride in helping clients like you resolve their cases favorably. To learn more, please don’t wait to contact or call us at 864-523-6928 today.
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Child Support FAQ
What if my divorcing spouse and I come to an agreement regarding child support?
You and your divorcing spouse can make your own child support arrangements that the court is likely to sign off on – as long as the arrangements meet or exceed the requirements laid out in the state’s child support calculation guidelines.
What is child support intended to cover?
Child support payments are calculated with all the following expenses in mind:
- Your children’s food, clothing, and shelter, including utilities and household goods
- Your children’s school expenses
- Your children’s ordinary healthcare costs
- Your children’s transportation (excluding transportation related to visitation)
- Your children’s extracurriculars
What income amount is used in the calculation process?
Generally, each parent’s actual gross income is used in the calculation process. If one parent, however, is underemployed or unemployed, the amount that he or she could earn is likely to be employed.
