How Much Child Support Should I Pay With 50/50 Child Custody? 

Having 50/50 custody of your children is not enough to absolve you of your responsibility to provide for them. You may want to think about adding in a child support payment as part of a fair parenting plan. Depending on your family situation, you may qualify for reduced payments. In some jurisdictions, a court-ordered child support order can be extended to age 23 if your child is enrolled in secondary school full-time. 

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There are no rules in Texas that govern the octave or tally keeper, but the state does have some guidelines for how much child support you might be required to pay. Some jurisdictions even require that you calculate the appropriate amount using a formula. For example, if you have a household income of $1,000 per month, and your spouse earns $250, you are required to pay $200 a month to your spouse. 

A similar calculation is used for support payments for parents with joint custody. The guideline child support amount is calculated based on the number of children you share. Generally, a court will reduce the amount of child support you are required to pay. However, if you are involved in a divorce, the judge will make the ultimate decision on whether or not you should be ordered to pay child support. This can be frustrating, especially if the amount of money you are required to pay is more than you can afford. You can always ask the judge to consider your financial situation and make a corresponding modification to your support order. 

A court-ordered child support order can have a long list of strings attached. For instance, the judge is expected to consider your spouse’s job, marital status, and any other relevant factors when deciding how much child support to order. If you aren’t comfortable with this, you can go through mediation. A mediator can help you settle your differences and determine which child support stipulation is most advantageous. 

Luckily, Texas law allows a wide range of possible modifications to the basic formula. For example, you might be able to get a reduction in your child support obligation if you can demonstrate that you have a difficult time running your household without your spouse’s assistance. You can also offset your child support obligations by using alimony. A savvy family law attorney can advise you about alimony and other legal issues that can impact your child support order. 

The best way to figure out how much child support to pay is to take a close look at the facts and figures in your case. For example, if you have ten children, a monthly child support payment of $1000 would not be feasible for you to make. If your spouse has one child, you may only be able to afford $200 a month. If your spouse has two children, you could end up paying as much as $500 a month in child support. You might be able to negotiate a different amount if you have a flexible work schedule.