Do you live in the state of Tennessee? Do you have reason to believe that you are entitled to receive child support? Do you have reason to believe that you will have to pay child support in the future?
States use one of three models to calculate the base amount of child support due from one parent to the other. In Tennessee, for example, the income shares model is used.
In short, this model is based on the idea that the child has the right to receive the same amount of parental income that he or she would have received in the event that both parents still live in the same house.
In a house with both parents, income is typically pooled and spent in a manner that benefits all the members of the home. At this time, there are 39 states, including Tennessee, that calculate child support based on the income shares model, making it the most commonly used formula.
A list of other states include: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, Guam, Virgin Islands.
With the income shares model in place, it’s easier for divorcing parents to understand how much money they will receive or be required to pay in child support.
If you’re faced with divorce, take the time to learn more about the income shares model and how it will affect you and your child in the future.
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, “Child support guideline models by state,” accessed March 03, 2017