How is child support determined and paid?

In North Carolina, the court uses a formula to determine child support. This formula takes into account both the parent’s income and the number of children who are subject to the support. The court will also consider other factors, such as daycare costs, uninsured medical expenses, and educational needs for the children. Once the court sets the amount, the noncustodial parent is responsible for fulfilling their court-ordered child support obligation. The child support payments are either paid directly to the custodial parent, or more commonly, sent to North Carolina’s Centralized Child Support Collection. This ensures that the payment is distributed quickly and accurately to the custodial parent. The Centralized Child Support Collection can accept child support payments in the form of cash, check, money order, credit/debit card, or electronic payment. The noncustodial parent can also sign up for direct deposit, which will allow payments to be deposited directly into the custodial parent’s bank account. If the noncustodial parent fails to make timely payments, they may face consequences. These consequences could include wage garnishment, civil contempt action, or even criminal charges. A court can also suspend the noncustodial parent’s driver’s license, and in some cases may incarcerate the parent until the child support is paid in full. In North Carolina, child support is determined and paid in a way that protects the rights of both the custodial and noncustodial parent. It is important that both parents understand their child support obligations and comply with them in a timely manner, in order to keep the court from taking legal action.

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