Calculating Oregon Child Support

Working through a divorce is a difficult, emotionally exhausting process that can be particularly more difficult when children are involved. When children are involved, the parties now have to deal with a significant change to their relationship dynamic with their children in addition to the potential of losing their relationship, home, income, or property. In divorce proceedings, a court will likely impose child support requirements on one of the party’s to the divorce to help care for the children’s needs. The child support calculation is dependent on a number of various legal factors. If you think you may have a child support issue, it is important to consult with one of our experienced Portland family law attorneys.

What is Child Support?

Child support is defined as a financial obligation that one parent has to another parent to provide for the care, support, education, and welfare of children that the parents have with each other. This obligation is imposed by the courts and its terms are laid out in what is referred to as a “money award.” In Oregon, the law surrounding child support usually limits child support to children under the age of 18. However, if a child is still in school, such as college or trade school, the support obligation may last until the child is 21 years of age. A child support obligation can be established in many ways including a divorce proceeding, a paternity action, a petition for custody and child support determination, or an administrative proceeding filed with the State of Oregon.

How is Child Support Determined?

Child support is calculated using a guidelines formula located in the Oregon Administrative Rules. The rule guides the process for the court using a mixture of the following factors:

• Each parent’s income
• The parenting time plan
• Cost of child care
• Costs of medical insurance to each parent
• Actual medical expenses paid by each parent
• Financial rebuttal factors agreed to by the parties

This list of factors is only the most common used but is by no means exhaustive. The court has wide discretion when making the final child support decision and uses the financial rebuttal factors to facilitate the decision. The court may look at other things such as other resources available to the parties, each person’s credit history, the desirability of each of the parents to actual use the parenting time plan laid out, and other dependents of each party at home that require care.

It is important to speak with a qualified and experienced Portland family law attorney before making any decisions relating to child support because child support can be extremely important for the well-being of your children. Gzik Law, PC is dedicated to helping individuals with family law issues through use of positive resolution strategies focused at resolving the issues quickly and with the best outcome possible.