In North Carolina, both parties have a legal obligation to support their minor children, and the amount of support required of each parent is based on their incomes and the child custody arrangement in each particular case.
The mathematical formula for determining the amount of child support required of each parent is called the “Income Shares Model”. The North Carolina child support guidelines are based on the idea that the child(ren) should receive the same amount of support, proportionally from the income of each parent, as if the family were still together. In simple terms for example, if one parent makes four (4) times more money that the other, the higher earning parent should bear the larger share of the total child support obligation – in this example four-fifths (4/5) of the total obligation.
The North Carolina Child Support Guidelines take into account a variety of child custody situations and considerfour (4) calculations which, typically, involve the completion of one (1) of three (3) applicable Child Support Worksheets. While your custody arrangement is unique to your case, at JZA we recommend discussing your needs and concerns as early as is possible in the process to best plan for your needs and those of your children.
The process of calculating and allocating child support is straightforward. Most of the information of interest to you is available online at, free of charge from the state of North Carolina. Just click here. We are happy to discuss any of these calculations with you; click here for a working example.
For more information on Changes, Termination or the Taxation of Child Support, or for an extended printable PDF version of this document click here.
