Most people would agree that being a single parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world. It is a tremendous responsibility for any parent to bear the burden of guiding and providing for a child from birth to the age of 18, but this duty is even greater when primarily borne by just one person alone. This obligation that the vast majority of parents undertake willingly and happily is made harder or easier depending upon a person’s financial resources. For single parents, child support is a necessity that can really make or break a parent’s ability to adequately provide for a child, which is why courts pay serious attention to matters surrounding this issue. The emphasis on child support is related to the fact that custodial parents who do not receive regular child support are often forced to request public assistance benefits, like food stamps and child care to make ends meet. Now that states will be required to recognize adoption by same-sex couples, following a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the number of child support cases will likely rise as these couples separate and divorce. Given the importance child support holds for the financial stability of single parents, and overview of how Indiana treats this subject will follow below.

Who Pays

Indiana judges have the authority to order one or both parents to pay child support to each other, or a third party if a child is under their care. This obligation continues until the child is emancipated by reaching the age of 19, joining the military, getting married, or no longer attends school and is capable of providing self-support at 18. The court uses a number of factors to determine the percentage of financial support each parent should provide. These factors include:

• The financial resources of the custodial parent;
• The standard of living the child would have experienced if the parents did not divorce or separate;
• Any special physical, mental, or learning conditions the child may have; and
• The financial resources of the non-custodial parent.

Most child support orders include automatic income withholding from the non-custodial parent’s employer directly to the Indiana Department of Child Services, who then distributes the funds to the custodial parent. In addition to providing financial support for the basics of food, shelter, and clothing, a child support order may also include amounts for educational expenses and health insurance if the cost is reasonable. Furthermore, the court may require one or both parents to hold a piece of property apart in trust for the continued support of the child.  

Determining How Much    

The amount of child support ordered is predicated on the premise that the child should receive the same amount of support that would have flowed were the parents still together. This method of calculating child support is called the Income Shares Model and works as follows:

• The gross income of both parents is taken minus certain deductions and then a percentage of each parent’s income is taken to represent what they would have contributed in an intact household.
• The total is applied to the support tables to determine the total weekly cost to support the child.
• Child care expenses and health insurance premiums for the child are added to the basic support obligation.
• Finally, the overall support obligation is divided between the parents based on the parent’s share of the adjusted weekly income.

Get Legal Assistance

If you have questions about child support or need your child support payment modified, working with a family law attorney can cut down on the time and hassle of establishing or changing an existing child support order. Attorney Christopher L. Arrington represents clients in family law matters in the Indianapolis area and is ready to assist you with all your child support issues. Contact him to schedule an appointment.