Child support payments are not based solely on the noncustodial parent’s income. The Missouri child support guidelines also consider the custodial parent's income and other factors, including:
* Number of children
* Health insurance costs for the children
* Childcare expenses
* Work-related or medical expenses that exceed 15% of a parent's income
Gross vs. Net Income
When determining child support, the court considers the income of each parent. Income includes wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, tips, and net income from self-employment. It also includes alimony and maintenance payments, pensions, retirement benefits, dividend payments, and interest income.
For purposes of child support, income does not include workers’ compensation benefits, social security benefits, veteran's benefits, or unemployment benefits.
To determine a parent's net income, the court deducts the allowable expenses paid for the children, including health insurance premiums, child support, and child care expenses. The deductions for these expenses paid by the noncustodial parent are subtracted from his/her gross income to arrive at net income.
Child Support Schedule
Once net income is calculated for each parent, the court multiplies the net incomes together and divides the total by the statutory minimum. This number represents the amount of parenting time that both parents exercise during the year under a standard timeshare arrangement. The result is then multiplied by the appropriate percentage from the Missouri child support guidelines.
Standard Timeshare
The statutory minimum for child support is based on the number of overnight stays the children have in each parent’s home during a year. The child support guidelines assume the following allocation of time:
* One child: At least 111 overnights
* Two children: At least 180 overnights each
* Three or more children: At least 150 overnights each
If the overnights deviate significantly from these percentages, the court may calculate the child support obligation using an adjusted statutory minimum.
Percentage Add-Ons
The Missouri child support guidelines also include percentage add-ons for the following:
* The noncustodial parent has parenting time in excess of the statutory minimum.
* The custodial parent provides 70% or more of the children’s financial support.
* The noncustodial parent does not have a high school diploma or GED.
* The noncustodial parent has previous child support arrearages.
Deviations
The child support guidelines are designed to be fair and equitable to all parties involved. However, there may be circumstances in which the court deviates from the guidelines. These circumstances may include:
* The needs of the children are not met by the amount of child support calculated under the guidelines.
* The noncustodial parent's income is significantly lower than the custodial parent's income.
* The custodial parent has a significantly lower income than the noncustodial parent.
* There are other extraordinary circumstances that warrant a deviation from the guidelines.
