What is Considered Income When Calculating Child Support in California?

At the Land Legal Group, our Los Angeles divorce attorneys know that once child custody agreements are finalized during the proceedings, the next order of business is determining the amount of child support the noncustodial parent will pay.

When child support is calculated in California, two major factors are taken into account: Their income and the amount of time a parent spends with the child(ren).

The bigger question is, what is considered income under California’s child support laws?

Here is what parents need to know about how the California family courts will establish that figure.

What Does the California Family Law Court Consider Income for Child Support Purposes?

The child support paying parent’s income is calculated in a similar way he or she would prepare their taxes, by deducting qualifying expenses from his or her gross income.

In California, the following qualify as income when calculating child support payment amounts:

• Salaries
• Wages
• Tips
• Bonuses
• Investment income
• Retirement income
• Taxable social security income
• Income from rental properties
• Disability benefits
• Unemployment benefits
• Any regular and recurring payments from family members

Determining a parent’s degree of responsibility regarding child support, and the resulting amount, can be challenging without the help of a skilled family law attorney.

If you are self-employed, a business owner, or are involved in a high-asset divorce, there may be other factors that determine the amount of child support you pay.

Our skilled child support attorneys in Los Angeles can help you determine how to accurately evaluate your income sources to ensure your child support payments are fair.

We can help simplify what may otherwise be a complex situation while helping avoid child support disputes going forward.

Contact the Land Legal Group Family Law Attorneys in Los Angeles Today

Contact our skilled family law attorneys in Los Angeles County at the Land Legal Group today at (310) 552-3500 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your unique needs and to learn how we can help.