What is income imputation for child support?

Income imputation for child support is a process used to calculate the amount of child support one parent is obligated to pay to another parent when one parent is voluntarily or involuntarily unemployed or under-employed. In California, the court may impute income to the parent who is not paying or underpaying child support when this parent is found to have the capacity to earn income. Income imputation is based on earning history, realistic job opportunities, educational level, and other circumstantial factors. Income imputation is an estimate of the parent’s true earning capacity that considers all factors, such as ability to work, work history, education, and any other factors that could affect the parent’s potential earnings. For example, if a parent has the ability to work but is voluntarily unemployed or working at a low paying job, the court will use income imputation to calculate an amount of child support that is equal to what the parent could realistically earn. In California, the court will consider any type of income when making the income imputation decision. It may include wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, retirement benefits, social security payments, or any other income or assets the parent could potentially earn or obtain. If the parents can’t agree on a child support obligation, the court will use the imputed income amount to calculate the support.

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