Like other states, Michigan has a formula that its judges use to calculate child support. In many situations, this formula makes calculating child support relatively simple.
For example, if both parents earn income through a regular paycheck and their parenting arrangement is agreed upon, then a Michigan parent can use the formula to input numbers and calculate their child support..
However, child support questions are not always straightforward or smooth.
To give just a couple of examples, the formula’s definition of income is broad. It can include items that normally would not appear on a person’s income tax return, such as regular gifts from relatives.
When a person owns a business or otherwise gets money from outside of a job, or makes irregular income, it can be difficult to calculate how much of that should go to support.
It only adds to the difficulty when the person does not believe certain income should count in a child support calculation or, worse, tries to conceal how much they are truly making.
Another example is that Michigan judges are allowed to deviate from the support formula in certain situations. Many of these special cases are actually common. Parents of children with special needs or who even have a child with higher-than-average educational expenses may be able to ask for a deviation.
Those who have concerns about child support should know their legal options
Child support is not always the easiest piece of a divorce to sort out. However, it is one of the most important pieces.
An improperly calculated child support order could leave a child without the means to meet their needs. On the other hand, an inappropriate order could also leave a parent in a tight financial situation without a good reason.
Those who have questions or concerns about child support or how Michigan’s law might apply to their case should make sure they get a solid understanding of their legal position by contacting our office for a free consultation.