How is Child Support Calculated?

Child support is calculated pursuant to the Michigan Child Support Formula. The Michigan Child Support Formula considers several factors which are then processed into a court ordered online support program which provides a support recommendation. The amount of support ordered varies on a case-by-case basis.

Two of the most important factors in determining support are the income of the parties and the amount of time that each parent spends with the minor child(ren). When considering the income of the parties, all sources of income must be included in the calculations, including but not limited to, wages, self-employment income, rental property income, distributions from pension/retirement, social security, and unemployment. If a party is voluntarily unemployed but is capable of working, income will likely be imputed to him/her to reflect an income that he/she is capable of earning. Imputation of income seeks to avoid the scenario where a party is voluntarily unemployed in order to gain an unfair advantage of either purposefully lowering his/her support obligation or alternatively, increasing his/her support obligation.

The amount of time each parent spends with the minor child(ren) is also considered in calculating support. Typically, the more time that is spent with the minor child(ren), the more expenses that are incurred, and therefore, the greater the support obligation. Hence, a parent that spends 90% of the time with the minor child(ren) is more likely to have increased expenses, which will be reflected in the award of support.

After processing all relevant factors, the online support program provides a recommendation for support. While the recommendation is typically adopted as the support order on most cases, the parties may petition the court to request a deviation of the support order. In that instance, support may be modified if the parties are able to demonstrate that the deviation is in the best interests of the minor child(ren).