Greenville Child Support Lawyers

How Much Do I Need to Pay for Child Support in South Carolina?

South Carolina uses a fairly unique model in which both parents are responsible for paying child support. However, if one parent (the custodial parent) has sole legal and physical custody, only the noncustodial parent will pay for child support since they cannot otherwise contribute to the child's livelihood.

South Carolina courts calculate child support based on the combined gross income of both parents. Gross income includes income from any source, including bonuses, tips, commissions, and income from other sources such as investment accounts, pensions, trusts, etc.

Assuming the parents are engaged in a joint custody arrangement where they spend time living with each parent, each parent owes an amount of child support proportionate to their fraction of the combined gross income.

For example, let's say that the combined gross income for you and your co-parent is $5,500 (around the median combined gross income in NC). However, let's say that you make 70% of that, and your co-parent only makes 30%.

According to the South Carolina Child Support guidelines, the total amount of child support owed in your case for one child would be $793 (up to $1,628 for six children). However, because you account for 70% of the combined gross income, you would pay for 70% of that child support arrangement (around $555) while your co-parent would pay the remaining 30% (approximately $237).

Depending on the details of your custody arrangement, you'll use different worksheets to calculate the amount of child support you owe. Your child support attorney will help you identify the correct sheet for your case and fill in the appropriate information.

Can the Court Deviate from the Guidelines?

In a word, yes. Like alimony, courts have a fair amount of leeway when it comes to deciding exactly how much each parent owes in child support. Some factors the court may consider in your child support dispute include:

• Whether the child has any special needs. For example, if the child has a medical condition and requires additional medical care, the court can factor that into the support arrangement.
• Other expenses for the child, such as any costs for their education and dental care.
• Whether either parent is currently engaged in another child support or alimony arrangement.
• Whether one parent has significantly more or less income than the other party.
• Whether the child is a legal adult or has a significant income of their own due to some other reason (such as inheritance).
• Anything else the court considers relevant to the case.

Because the court has so much decision-making power in child support cases, having an experienced child support attorney at your side is essential if you want to receive an optimal outcome in your case.

At Blood Law, PLLC, our Greenville child support attorneys will work with you to protect your parental rights and do whatever's best for your child.

To schedule a consultation with our team, contact us online or via phone at (704) 286-0570.