In Arizona, child support is continued until the child turns 18. However, if the child has turned 18 and has not yet graduated from high school, child support will extend until graduation or the child’s 19th birthday, whichever comes first. There are several criteria that determine a child support order during a support hearing. To tackle this efficiently, you would need a professional Arizona child support attorney. Below are some of the elements that are considered when a judge determines child support.
Income
Courts in Arizona calculate child support payments on an income share model. In other words, the child support is calculated based on what the child would have been entitled to if the parents were not divorced. The court considers salaries, wages, commissions, severance, bonuses, pension, retirement funds, disability payments, and gifts when determining a parent’s income.
Income-based factors
Arizona courts also factor in certain things, which determine the support, like the total number of children the parties have, whether the parties have children from prior relationships that they support with or without a court order, whether one of the parties will be receiving spousal maintenance or alimony. The court essentially considers the standard of living the child would have enjoyed with the joint income had the parents not separated.
Non-income-based factors
Apart from income-based child support, parents may also be asked to include the child in the medical, vision and dental plans, contribute to any out-of-pocket medical expenses, and share in any child care expenses. The court will also consider any costs that the parents may have for any special needs or gifts that a child has.
To ensure that your child support payments are no greater than they should be under the Arizona Child Support Guidelines, hire an experienced Phoenix child support attorney. Scott Law Offices offers free consultations for all child support matters.