How does a court determine child support payments?

Child support payments are determined in Washington using a calculation called the Washington State Child Support Schedule. This calculation takes into account each parent’s monthly income, the number of children, and the amount of parenting time each parent has. To calculate the amount of child support, the court will take the combined monthly income of both parents, deduct any applicable deductions, then look up the combined income on a chart called the Parenting Expense Adjustment Schedule. This chart provides a percentage parents are expected to pay based on their combined income. This percentage is then divided between both parents based on their incomes to determine each parent’s responsibility. The court will also consider the number of children each parent is responsible for in order to adjust the final support amount. Finally, the court will consider the amount of parenting time each parent has, also known as the custodial arrangement. If one parent has a significantly larger custodial arrangement than the other, the court may adjust the support amount accordingly. Once all factors have been considered, the court will reach a decision regarding the amount of child support that each parent is responsible for paying. The child support order remains in effect until the obligations of the payer and the rights of the recipient have been fulfilled.

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