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In a joint custody arrangement that is not split down the middle, the parent with the lesser percentage of time spent with children will typically be the one that has to pay child support. This is to ensure both parents actively continue to care for children's needs.

Under California law, you pay child support until the child turns 18, or 19 if the child is unmarried and still attending high school full time. Under special circumstances, the court may order child support to continue after the child is an adult.

Child support is calculated based on net disposable income. Voluntary retirement contributions lower taxable income. Put another way, income that is not taxed increases net income. More net income means more income available to pay support or a lessened need for support.

Please note, it may take three or four days for your payment to be posted to your child support account.

In California divorces where both parents share 50/50 custody of a child or children, child support payments generally amount to 15% of the difference between the parents' earnings. Other factors (like the number of children you share, your monthly incomes, etc.) also factor into the decision.

A: The average amount of money paid in child support by non-custodial parents is about $430 a month for one child. The amount paid in child support per child may change based on the number of children being supported, the income of both parents, and the amount needed to raise the children in this particular dynamic.

Federal law makes it illegal for an individual to willfully fail to pay child support as ordered by a court in certain circumstances. Convicted offenders may face fines and imprisonment (For more information, see Citizen's Guide to Federal Law on Child Support Enforcement).

To calculate it by long hand, take the Combined Parental Income (but only up to $141,000) and multiply it by the applicable Child Support Percentages (1 child in the care of the custodial parent: 17%, 2 children: 25%, 3 children: 29%, 4 children: 31%, 5 or more children: 35% or more).