If I Have Joint Custody, Do I Still Have to Pay Child Support?

Joint physical custody is a child custody agreement that grants both parents the responsibility of day-to-day care of their child(ren) after a divorce or separation.

Since joint custody refers to the shared physical and/or legal custody of their kids, parents must also understand how joint custody arrangements will impact the amount of child support they are responsible for paying or receiving.

At the Land Legal Group, our Los Angeles divorce attorneys provide our clients with straightforward information on how custody and child support arrangements are implemented — separately and together — so there is no confusion about their responsibilities after the divorce is finalized.

Joint Custody Does Remove Your Obligation To Pay Child Support

Physical joint custody requires both parents to provide for their children’s basic necessities independently.

When custody is shared equally, there may still be a child support obligation because of our California child support guidelines and how it calculates the financial obligation based on more than just the time spent with each parent, but the income of each parent.

Simply put, even if the child spends equal time with each parent, the parent with the higher income will usually still owe child support.

Child Support is Designed to Maintain the Child’s Standard of Living

Child support laws are designed to ensure that children have access to the same standard of living that they would if both of their parents were living together.

If both parents are working together to ensure the child’s best interests are being considered through joint physical and legal custody, they may be able to work towards a child support figure that is fair and equitable without the court’s involvement.

If you and your spouse have questions about joint custody and how it affects your child support obligations, contact our Los Angeles family law attorneys at the Land Legal Group to discuss the details of your case during a consultation today by calling 310-552-3500. We will walk you through our California laws, so your and your kids’ rights are protected throughout the divorce proceedings.