During the process of filing for divorce, you may be ordered by the court to make child support payments. In Texas, the parent that does not have custody of the child is typically responsible for paying child support. Texas law does not specify exactly what child support may cover. This ambiguity can lead to arguments between former spouses.
Child support may cover broad range of expenses that are related to the benefit of the child. Payments might be spent on:
- Basic necessities: Payments could be used to help pay for food, clothing, mortgage and rent payments. In addition, payments could also be used to help pay for utility bills.
- Medical support: The court may require the noncustodial parent to pay the medical expenses of a child. In Texas, health insurance policy payments are an additional type of child support.
The key thing to remember is that payments are supposed to be for the benefit of the child. However, the court does not monitor how the custodial parent spends these funds.
How Much Are My Texas Child Support Payments?
If you are ordered to pay child support by the court, then amount you will owe will depend on several factors. Your gross monthly income will be taken into account. This does not necessarily include only work-related income. The number of children included in the payments will also be a factor. You will also need to factor in health insurance payments for children who are covered by child support. If you have payments from a prior divorce, then your payments could be reduced.
We have more information on our website that can help you determine the amount you will owe each month for child support. Once you have the information you need from our website, you can punch it into the calculator on the Texas AG’s website. You can also call Lewisville family law attorney Jared Julian to learn more about how child support works in Texas.