For years, the State of North Dakota has provided a child support calculator for the general public to use. It can be found at this web address, by clicking the word “calculator.” The Family Law Group at SW&L Attorneys has found the State’s calculator can be difficult to use for the general public. In light of the issues and complaints received regarding the State’s calculator, we have created our own child support calculator with the general, non-law trained, public in mind. It can be found here.

This is the third in a series of blog articles that address common issues when calculating child support and how these issues are applied within the child support calculator created by SW&L Attorneys.

This particular blog article addresses the issue of multiple families and its impact on a child support obligation in North Dakota.

Generally

In custody cases, the court must make a determination as to where a child will live i.e, equally with both parents or primarily with one parent. Part and parcel with this determination is the amount owing in child support. In a vanilla or “regular” calculation, the court deals solely with the child or children that are the subject of the custody case. A “multiple families” child support calculation; however, becomes much more complex because one or both of the parents in the custody case have “other” children from prior or subsequent relationships.

Specifically

In North Dakota, the guidelines for handling multiple family child support situations are codified in the North Dakota Administrative Code at Sections 75-02-04.1-06.0 and 6.1. These guidelines direct the person figuring the child support obligation to consider the cost of supporting both “other” children living with the obligor and “other” children living with the parent that is not a part of the calculation. The “cost” referred to by these guidelines are not actual costs, which could be proven through receipts, but rather a hypothetical cost based on the obligor’s gross income applied to the child support guidelines. And, although an obligor may be supporting a step-child living with him or her, the State of North Dakota does not allow the obligor to take those expenses or this child into consideration. In the end, the net result of having other children will reduce the obligor’s child support obligation. The extent of this reduction is unique to the factors of each case.

SW&L Attorneys Calculator

The SW&L Attorneys Child Support Calculator, addresses situations in which an obligor has “other” children that are not the subject of that particular child support calculation. If you have dealt with the State’s calculator, you will see SW&L Attorneys’ Child Support Calculator is much easier to navigate and understand when it comes to this issue.

Family Law Attorney

After utilizing our child support calculator, if you find you need help with a child support calculation, or just want to talk to someone about child support, please contact SW&L Attorneys’ Family Law Group.

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