Child support is closely related to the topic of custody. Whether you are the one paying or receiving support, it can be reassuring to know that there is a methodology from our child support lawyers for how support is calculated, potentially saving you anxiety about how this will affect your budget.

Child support is mandated when one parent or custodian has custody for more than 50% of the time (in a 50/50 split, the parent with the larger income may still be required to pay some child support). The parent or custodian with less custodial time will pay support based on a formula by the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, which looks at two primary factors: the number of children, and the parties’ combined monthly income (the court also considers future possible earnings, based on education level, experience, and other factors).

(One exception occurs where the parent with partial custody has the children between 40-50% of overnights; the support they owe may qualify for a reduction.)

Support includes a monthly monetary obligation and may also involve healthcare coverage. You can request support through your county’s Domestic Relations Section; their staff will help you submit the petition.

Requesting an increase in support is done the same way; however, you will have to demonstrate a “significant change in circumstances” (such as a loss of employment, the other parent receiving a significant raise or significantly increased expenses for the children) to get it.

Child support will last until your child turns 18 or graduates high school, whichever happens later. Until then, you are not able to agree to waive a support order, as the support is about the children, not the adults. Because of this, if the other parent stops providing support, you should notify your county’s Domestic Relations Section, who will enforce the order. (If it is still not resolved and goes to court, the other parent can be held in contempt, including up to six months in jail if they remain in contempt.)

While the non-custodial parent is required to pay support, they do not have the right to monitor how the money is spent. The courts assume that any money provided through support is directly or indirectly used for the children's housing, utilities, food and other essential needs.

Generally speaking, however, custodial rights and child support are treated as two separate issues by the courts, where support payments can’t be used to get more custodial rights, and on the other side, a parent who doesn’t pay their share of child support can’t be punished with reduced custodial rights.