How to Calculate Child Support in Wagoner County

Child support is the financial obligation a parent has to support his or her biological children, whether that parent is married to the other parent or not.

Child support in Wagoner County must typically be paid until the child reaches the age of 18, but payments can continue beyond the age of 18 if 1) the child lives at home, 2) is a student, 3) is dependent on his or her parents or 4) is physically or mentally disabled, in which case child support in Wagoner County may last the child’s entire life.

Child Support in Wagoner County

Child support is most often linked to child custody. Normally, the custodial parent will be entitled to receive child support from the non-custodial parent. The state recognizes that there are extra costs associated with child custody, and the custodial parent usually spends more money on housing, food, transportation and medical insurance than the non-custodial parent. Therefore, child support is awarded to the custodial parent as an attempt to distribute equitably the entire costs of raising the children.

Calculating Child Support in Wagoner County

In Oklahoma, parents have the option of negotiating child support agreements on their own and having these terms approved by a judge as part of a prenuptial or divorce settlement agreement. However, if they cannot come to an agreement, the court will make the child support arrangement for them.

Oklahoma calculates the amount of child support obligations using a set of specific guidelines that take into account factors such as the income of the parents, the number of children to provide for, the cost of daycare and health insurance, as well as special needs like tutoring and transportation from one parent to another for visitation.

This formula will compute the minimum amount of child support the custodial parent is entitled to receive from the non-custodial parent. Usually, even if you share custody 50/50, the parent with the highest income will owe child support to the other.

Estimating Your Child Support in Wagoner County

If you want to estimate the amount of child support you should receive or be obliged to pay, you can use the Child Support Calculator on the Oklahoma Department of Human Services website.  There you can also download a copy of the Oklahoma Child Support Guidelines, as well as instructions on how to use the calculator.

The Child Support Calculator will generate an estimate that you may then use as a starting point for negotiating child support with the other parent, or for seeking a modification of previously ordered child support payments.

Alternately, you can consult with an experienced Wagoner divorce attorney who can calculate how much child support you should be receiving from or paying to the other parent. Keep in mind, however, that only a judge can order child support, so whatever figure you or your attorney arrive at will still have to be approved by the court.