In North Dakota, when one parent has primary custody of a child, the other parent is generally responsible to pay child support to assist the other parent in keeping up with the financial aspects of rearing the child. Child support is an essential part of ensuring that the child receives the level of care that he or she requires. While most parents agree that child support is a necessary part of our family law system, though, some parents may disagree about how much child support the noncustodial parent should be required to pay.
It used to be that noncustodial parents in North Dakota would be required to pay a standard percentage relating to their net income. Furthermore, parents were allowed to deduct from their total income money related to income tax withholdings, medical insurance and retirement accounts. North Dakota, child support laws still use an income-based model to determine the amount noncustodial parents must pay, but fewer deductions are currently allowed.
Furthermore, Minnesota currently utilizes what is referred to as a “combined income” model. This model considers both the gross income of the noncustodial parent and the gross income of the custodial parent to determine a fair amount to be paid in child support by the noncustodial parent. The total income figures are added together and a special table is used to determine the income bracket of the parents, and establish a “combined basic support obligation.” Then, the noncustodial parent contributes money to fulfill that “combined basic support obligation” based on his or her percentage share of the combined “parental income.”
At Melinda Weerts Law, PLLC, we have been helping parents resolve their child support disagreements for many years. If you have any questions about your child support issue, we are available to help.
