Texas family law courts often prefer to issue orders that make parents share the costs of raising a child. There are guidelines that help non-custodial parents estimate the amount that they may have to pay. The guidelines show the percentages of net resources the parent has to pay based on the number of children.
Texas courts consider the best interests of the child which means the non-primary parent has to pay child support and provide health insurance for the child. Circumstances that led to the child’s birth are irrelevant in this situation. It doesn’t matter whether the child was conceived after a brief casual encounter between the parents or whether the parents don’t see eye-to-eye.
Men that are not sure that a child is theirs can always file a petition to establish paternity. That may involve DNA tests.
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Other Child Support Facts To Consider
How Much Does The Second Child Get For Child Support In TX?
The obligor is the parent paying child support while the obligee is the parent receiving the child support amounts on behalf of the child. Extra-curricular activities the child engages in such as horseback riding or golf do not determine the amount the obligor is required to pay. But if each parent is the primary parent of one of two siblings, the amount is going to be different compared to a situation where one parent is the primary parent.
Child Support Guidelines In Texas
I Had Anoth
er Child, Can I Get Child Support Reduced?
The Texas Child Support Guidelines guide parents on the percentage of their net income they may have to pay for child support based on the number of children involved. The percentage is multiplied by your net income and the result is what you need to pay. These percentages include:
- You pay 20% of net resources for one child
- You pay 25% of net resources for two children
- You pay 30% of net resources for three children
- You pay 35% of net resources for four children
- You pay 40% of net resources for five or 6 children
These guidelines only apply if you earn a certain specified amount by law. If you have two children from two different mothers and only one child is before the court, you may receive an income credit for the other child you have a legal duty to support.
Child support payments may also be reduced if the non-custodial parent is paying for a child’s college education. The amount may also be reduced if the paying parent has to travel long distances to visit the child. In this situation, the court considers the gasoline, air, and hotel costs.
What Are Net Resources?
Net resources include income sources such as salary, commissions, overtime pay, pensions, social security benefits, gifts, and more. You calculate net resources by deducting union dues, social security taxes, federal income taxes, and the amount the obligor pays for the child’s health insurance from gross resources.
What If A Child Has A Disability
A child with a disability may or may not need substantial care and personal supervision. If the child cannot support themselves because of a mental or physical disability, the paying parent may have to continue making child support payments even if the child is older than 18 years of age.