Child Support Guidelines

When seeking an inexpensive divorce in Texas, one of the biggest concerns many petitioners have is child support. In Texas, either parent (and sometimes both) may be required to make child support payments. Guidelines are set out to be in the best interests of the children involved in a divorce. Some of the factors that are used in determining if child support is required and how much the spouse must pay include:

• Age of the child
• The ability of parents to support the child
• Additional financial resources available in supporting the child
• Custody agreement and access to children
• Resources available of a parent to pay support, including potential earning power if the parent is intentionally unemployed or underemployed
• Childcare expenses necessary for employment of either parent
• Whether other children are in the picture and what costs are being paid for and payments received for their care
• Alimony being paid or received
• Health care provisions
• Educational needs of the child
• Benefits parents receive from an employer
• Debts or obligations of parents
• Wage or salary deductions of parents
• Travel costs for visiting children
• Cash flow from businesses, investments, and other assets that either parent may have
• Extraordinary health care challenges or expenses that either parent or the child may face
• Whether either parent has housing, car or other expenses furnished by an employer or anyone else
• Other relevant factors

In most cases, the court will require that health insurance is provided for the child. It is also possible that the court will order income withholding to secure child support payment if this is deemed to be in the best interests of the child.