Child support used to be calculated by taking the non-custodial parent's net income, and basing child support on a certain percentage of net income, depending on the number of children being supported.
Under the child support law that was passed a couple years ago, both parents' incomes are factored in. The statute contains a table that provides a base amount of child support that children are entitled to, based upon the combined income of the child(ren)'s two parents. The obligor parent pays a percentage of the base amount provided for in the statutory table, based upon his or her proportional share of the combined income. For example, if the statutory table provides for base support in the amount of $1,000; and the obligor parent's income is 70% of the parents' combined income, the obligor parent would have a base child support obligation of $700.
The support number is reduced to reflect parenting time that the obligor has. If the parents have equal, or nearly equal, custody / parenting time, then the support number is reduced substantially (by means of a somewhat different equation). If the obligor parent has little or no parenting time, then there is no reduction.
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